Daily Thought For September 5, 2017
Encouraging Others
Children of the day! How wonderful to be reassured that we have been rescued from the darkness of sin and can now enjoy the light of Christ! But Paul, ever the apostle, goes beyond the good feelings and immediately shifts our focus to what it means to live in the light. In the very next verse, he tells us, “Let us stay alert and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5:6).
There are so many ways we can stay alert, but let’s focus on one that Paul mentions at the end of today’s passage: by encouraging each other. Because we are “children of the day,” we are all uniquely qualified to bring daylight to the people around us (1 Thessalonians 5:5). In a world that has grown jaded, positive and encouraging people are deeply needed!
“Build one another up,” Paul says (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Comment on the good things you see God doing in the lives of other people. Be positive, supportive, and appreciative. Make it a point to strengthen someone who seems weary, to encourage someone who is timid, and to empower someone who feels weak.
When all you can see is a person’s faults, ask God to help you see with his eyes of compassion. Try to love that person as God loves them. Remember, God is always at work in every person’s life, even if you can’t see it. If nothing else, find a way to share your experience of the Lord with them; that may help them recognize God’s hand in their life, even as it softens your heart.
While you’re at it, don’t restrict yourself only to “godly” topics. Complimenting others on a natural level—their looks, their talents, an act of kindness—can be just as inspiring. It may also open the door for further and deeper conversations. Over time, you will find more and more opportunities to talk about God’s life and goodness, and you will find people more accepting.
God has made you a child of the light. So let that light shine today!
“Holy Spirit, give me words of affirmation so that I can encourage my loved ones. Show me how to bring your light into this world of shadows.”
Daily Thought For September 5, 2017 from The Word Among Us (www.wau.org)