Do you ever long for a generous, gracious word of encouragement? Think for a minute of how you feel when you are with a critical individual who is critical of others and maybe of you? A word of encouragement is like a glass of cold water on a parched day. It lifts the spirits and more importantly it makes me want to be better. That is the thing about encouragement. It creates a desire to be more like Jesus and calls out the best in us.

Here is the funny thing. Critical people often think that they are being helpful. After all, if you can fix this or that or be more of this or that you will be a better person. But, critical spirits kill the spirit and deplete the soul. I have known critical people who wrap their words in spiritual language which is even more devastating because now their criticisms are wrapped up with the implication that God is just as critical of us as they are. I call it playing the God card.

Think of the interactions that Jesus had with ordinary people. He was kind and encouraging, even when giving a challenge. Grace pervaded his conversations and grace is not critical but kind and uplifting. Truth was always clothed in grace. 

In First Thessalonians 5:11, Paul tells the Thessalonians “encourage one another and build each other up.” Encouragement builds up while criticism tears down. Encouragement makes me want to do better and go farther and stay true while criticism makes me feel discouraged and less than and defeated. Every time I am encouraged I grow my passion to do more of what I was encouraged in. One of the most powerful ways to build others up and help them to continue in their lives and spiritual growth is to encourage them often. 

Think about this. In every interaction we have we either build others up or we tear them down. We are either giving life with our words or taking life with our words. Here is something to think about. When our words give life we follow the example of Jesus. When our words take life away we follow the evil one. In John 10:10, Jesus says that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The evil one wants to detract and destroy while Jesus comes to give life. When our words give life we follow Jesus. When our words detract from life we inadvertently default to taking life.

Why do we struggle with being people of encouragement and easy to be people of criticism and critique? Ironically it is usually our own brokenness and sin. It is our pride that makes us believe that we are better than we are rather than understanding that we too are broken and sinful people who need grace each and every day. In fact, the criticisms we have of others often hide our own struggles in the same area. 

None of us need more criticism than we already receive. All of us need more encouragement than we get. Listen to what the writer of Hebrews calls us to: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur 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.” (Hebrews 10:23-25). 

Let’s be honest. Life can be a long slog. There are times where we feel we are living in the desert. Times when the heavens seem to be closed and God silent. Times of stress and hard times in our marriages or with our kids. Times of illness and tough circumstances. We often look at those around us who look like their lives are all together and without stress. The truth is that we all live with either public or private pain and we all long for encouragement to keep the good fight, go the distance, get through a certain season and just finish well.

If you have ever run a marathon you know the power of those who line the route and cheer you on. You can be ready to quit and all used up and suddenly there are people along the route who literally give you their energy and passion to keep going, finish the race and go the distance. The encouragement of others actually gives you what you need to keep going. You are running on borrowed energy and borrowed resolve to go the distance. 

The writer of the Hebrews uses this same example. In Hebrews 11 we read of the heroes of the faith who prevailed against overwhelming odds and then in chapter 12:1-2 writes, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” 

These heroes of the faith cheer us on and encourage us. We are challenged to be people who cheer others on, encouraging and building up and finding ways to spur one another on. When we do this we live like Jesus. When we do this we help others live like Jesus. We have no idea how powerful our encouragement is in the lives of those we encourage. The more we do it, the more we cheer others on. There have been times when I was just ready to give up. To quit. And it was the encouragement of some individual who brought me back to life and gave me the energy to go on. Those are my heroes. They were used by Jesus to give me life and I will be forever thankful for their ministry in my life. I know their names and remember their words. Words of Jesus and words of life. That is the power of encouragement.

Father. It is easy for me to criticize. Help me to resist that temptation and become an expert in encouragement. Remind me in every conversation that I can build up or discourage. Use me to bring hope and encouragement to others. Amen.

The Question for Today: Who needs my encouragement today and how can I bless them?