Encouragement

By Hayley Boud

Hebrews 10:24-25, "And let us consider how we may stimulate one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching".

“ let us consider”, we have to take time to think about encouraging others and find new strategies. I always tell Michelle after the meeting thank you for hosting the meeting which is good but now it is a slogan without real encouragement. It would be better for me to think of new ways to encourage her, send her a card in the mail or ring her during the week just to lead to know that I'm grateful. Let's find unique ways to encourage each other. Take the time to think about it in its make sure we consider everyone. Maybe we can use the list and tick people off and see if we can encourage everybody at least once a week. Let’s think how will I encourage the person in a way that makes them happy.

“ stimulate one another”, our encouraging should be stimulating for others. For example, the laser is a light that is amplified by stimulating electrons to produce a very powerful ray of light. The electrons do nothing, they are just resting but by stimulating them they create a laser which can do so much and is so powerful. The laser can perform dentistry, heart surgery, corrective eye surgery, face lifts and so much more, they are even used in compact disc players. So if we stimulate other Christians they can become more powerful lights. We as Christians are lights to this world but if we are lasers we will be Christians that are light amplified, lights that are more powerful, lights that can achieve much much more than ordinary lights.

“One another”, Let's not miss anyone out. Sometimes we only encourage those that are closest to us, or those we like, or those that we think need it. Often we forget about those that we don't have much contact with, or those that we don't really like, or those that seemed to be already awesome Christians. But everybody needs encouragement.

“ Love and good deeds”, our encouragement must help each other to love others and to put this love into action. Good deeds are actions that are good according to the word of God and not according to this world. Sometimes encouraging someone will not be treating them as though they are a cute animal but loving the person respectfully encouraging them to see the truth. If you see someone who needs help in a certain area, for example prayer, don't tell the person bluntly you are not good at prayer but instead encourage the person and tell him you are very good at praying and I believe you could be even better. Then we could make some suggestions.

When I was five I was sitting at school on the class mat with all the other kids and I was slouching and talking to my friend when the teacher said, “I want everyone to sit up nicely like Hayley” and immediately it encouraged me to stop talking and to sit up straight with my arms folded. Every day after that I would make an effort to sit up nicely so the teacher would point me out again. She encouraged me to make an effort. If she had growled me and said, “look at Hayley talking and slouching”, I would have been discouraged.

“don't forsake meeting together”, we often take it for granted and forget just how important it is to meet together and just by turning up this is a huge encouragement to others. I remember one intercessory prayer meeting Ange came while she was about three days away from giving birth and that encouraged me. It made me realize, that if Ange can do, so can I. Don't neglect meeting together, it is very important and we should meet as often as we can and do it with joy.

“Our own assembling together”, this includes the official meetings and just when we meet together. Don't take it for granted if someone wants to meet with you, everyone and every meeting is valuable and an important way to encourage each other to love and good deeds.

“as is the habit of some”, just because you see others not coming to the meetings doesn't mean you should follow their lead. Just because Hayley has said she is sick and can't come and has a habit now of doing that, don't be thinking, ‘ I'm too tired tonight I won't go’. Don't follow the bad habits of others but follow people with good habits, people like Tyrone and Coleen and Michelle and Ange and others who go every single meeting.

“encourage”, it's not about being pushy, it's about giving someone the courage to do something. Our way of speaking needs to be in such a way that our words will bring comfort to others, they will support others and appeal to others, our words will help others. We can do this by thanking the person for their good deeds or by telling the person about their good characteristics or by supporting them through difficult times (which can be simply by listening or by reminding them about the word of God).

Tonight we are going to encourage each other in a unique way: we are going to write our names on a piece of paper and then hand it to the person on the right and that person will write something encouraging about the person. Write one thing that you like about the person, or something that you would like to say thank you for. Then we’ll pass it around the room until we get our own one back.