It’s easier to tear other down then pick them up.
Sometimes it feels like we can just tear people down.
I remember working and the only time bosses would talk to me
was when I would do something wrong or something that they didn’t agree with.
I was working for a newspaper in Mt. Pleasant finished a
story, submitted it and took off with Hailee before my sports editor came in
that night.
Hailee and I went out and later I arrived home to find a
message from my sports editor to give him a call (I didn’t have a cell phone to
for him to reach me at).
Usually this was a call to fix, clarify or to tell me the
article sucked (I did write some bad stuff sometimes).
I got on the phone with him and he responded, “Joel, your
article was amazing. I just wanted to
tell you the article was great and I think that article could go on the AP
wire.”
I said thank you and was completely surprised.
I never got a call like that before in four years of sports writing.
It encouraged me.
Often times it’s hard for us to celebrate, be happy or to
encourage on another.
This is true with me.
A couple of years ago I took one of the psych tests in a
class.
My test showed that I had a pretty significant negative
outlook on myself like a 2 or on a scale of 10.
Often in life I look at the worst case scenario first.
I have been trying to work on this, but still fall short of
being a better encourager at times.
In Acts 11 there was a person mentioned by the name of
Barnabas.
Barnabas’s name meant either son of consolation or son of
encouragement.
He was known as someone who encouraged other people.
Barnabas was sent to help people in Antioch and this is what
happened with him in Acts 11:23-24…
“When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he
was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their
hearts. He was a good man, full of the
Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.”
Barnabas did something we all need to be known for, encouragement.
This is something that Christians are called to be known
for, to encourage one another.
It’s a challenge for me and a goal I need to continue to
improve in.
When you do some self-reflection do you think you are known
for being someone who lifts other people up?
Today I am going to focus on trying to improve in this.
Is this something that you need improvement in?
How can you be a better encourager to other people?
Have a great day.
