1 Corinthians 13:4 - “...love is kind...”
One translation of today's simple verse says that “love looks for a way to be constructive.”
In other words, love looks for ways to improve someone else's life. Love brings out the best in other people.
Don't just get up in the morning thinking about yourself or how you can make your own life better.
Think about how you can make someone else's life better. Ask yourself, “Who can I encourage today?” “Who can I build up?”
You have something to offer those around you that no one else may be able to give.
Someone in your life needs your encouragement. Someone in your life needs to know that you believe in them.
I believe God will hold us responsible for the people He's put in our lives. He's counting on us to bring out the best in our family and friends; and we need to do it today and always.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.
Are you pouring confidence in them?
Why don't you ask the Lord to help you find creative ways to bring out the best in others? Show genuine interest.
This is by far the most effective way of encouraging others. Let them know you care. Express genuine interest by asking questions. Generate positive interaction and discussion. Acknowledge what's important to them, which helps to provide a form of affirmation and validation about who they are and what they're doing. Say "Well done".
Nothing worth doing is ever easy. If it's easy, then it's not worth doing.
Worthwhile things always take time and effort. One good way of providing encouragement is simply by saying "Well done" or "Congratulations". These Words of Encouragement at the right time can make all the difference between "keep going" and "give Up".
As you sow into the lives of others, God will send people along your path that will build you up so that you can embrace every blessing He has in store for you.
We want to continue to encourage ourselves on the need to sow the seed of goodness in one another's lives every day. That is doing a golden deed each day. Always say "Thank you". Common courtesy, good manners are all natural ways of expressing reward after hard work.
It's only natural to thank someone when they do something for you. You can start now.
A simple thank you let others know what they have done is worthwhile and meaningful to you. Reciprocate favours.
If someone does something nice for you, a great way to show your appreciation is simply to reciprocate the favour.
Respond with something unexpected; out of the blue. That's when the maximum impact is delivered.
Such acts can reach them at an emotional level and our brains are hard wired to respond to emotional things.
Ask for advice or confide in them. Haven't you felt like you were on top of the world when your peers asked you for advice or confided in you about something personal or important to them?
Didn't that make you want to help and do everything you can to ensure their faith in you is well founded?
Offer to lend a hand. Waiting for someone to ask you for advice is passive.
You can be proactive by offering to lend a hand. If that person sees that you are willing to commit your own time and energy in their interests, they will be more committed to seeing it through and less likely to give up themselves. If we would all begin placing others first, we could make this world a much more decent place in which to live.
Romans 15 vs 14
I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
Our text above stresses the need to be like-minded towards one another, to receive ourselves as Christ received us to the glory of God. We are to be full of God's goodness and filled with all knowledge in admonishing one another. These are our calling as Christians; may God help us to fulfil them. Amen.
