Encouraging One Another

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, 

but encouraging one another, 

and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

Hebrews 10:24–25

No one has ever been honestly encouraged — by word or deed — and actually not liked it. We thrive on encouragement.

We all remember the man named Joseph whom the apostles called Barnabas which means son of encouragement (Acts 4:36). This is one of the highest compliments we find in the New Testament given to anyone. He must have been an extremely good encourager: not the back-slapping, car salesman type of encourager, but genuinely interested in others to provide for them what they needed.

When there was much discouragement from Jewish Christians in their trying to require of Gentile Christians circumcision, the apostles wrote a letter that “when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement” (Acts 15:31). The apostles didn’t threaten, they encouraged.

Now this doesn’t mean they never said anything that was not encouraging: consider Paul rebuking Peter to his face (Gal 2:11–18); and again, Paul dealing with the magician Elymas who was actively contradicting Paul’s preaching before the proconsul Sergius Paulus as the apostle, “filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, ‘You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?’” (Acts 13:9–10).

IN WORD

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Prov 25:11). As children we’ve all heard the stupid song, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” And we all know how false these words are because words can cut us all the way through. A friend of mine who served in the Army in World War II said he was amazed to watch his hardened foxhole buddies endure combat become blubbery babies the moment they would read a letter from home. Words have that power!

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col 4:5–6).

Words serve as the windows into our soul (Luke 6:44–45). So, if we choose bitter language we’re revealing the bitterness in our souls. And if we speak that way, then how do we expect others who are not Christians to be interested at all in what we say we’re all about? The attitude sometimes conveyed is: “Oh, how I love Jesus, but I hate everybody else!” It’s the “little” things we call “words” that reveal so much (Matt 12:34–37).

As Paul put it, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:31–32). Or as the Hebrews writer put it: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled” (12:15).

IN DEED

What can we do to ease someone’s burden? Paul wrote, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1–2). Again, “small” deeds may do so much for others: writing a note, providing a small gift, attending worship, and being courteous (1 Pet 3:8 NKJV).

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). To a degree, encouragement is what service is all about—as we strive to help others, helping ourselves, make the journey to heaven (Eph 4:11–16).