Last year I went to the PSEC UCC conference meeting held at West Chester University. It was lunchtime in the cafeteria, and I got my food and was thinking about where to sit. It is fun to sit with people I know. But sometimes it seems like God pushes me to sit with someone I don’t know, someone who is a friend I haven’t met yet. So, me and Kevin sat down at a table with a man who was alone. We introduced ourselves and asked him how he was. “Well,” he said, “I lost my job this week.” He said it was discouraging, but he could see it coming and he was dealing with it. I was really glad we sat with him and he shared his burden. We told him we were sorry, and we were sure he would do well, and God would provide a new job meant for him!
Most people don’t start a conversation with strangers saying, “I lost my job this week.” Most people won’t easily tell you their troubles. So how many people out there are struggling, but nobody is encouraging them? Just about everybody has some struggle, some battle they are fighting. They could use some encouragement.
Pastor Craig Groeschel, tells how, many years ago, a guy named Scott told him, “I am thinking about ending my life.” Craig was shocked! But what should he do? He prayed, “God, help me out!” He got an idea. Pastor Craig said to this guy, “Let’s write down 100 reasons your life is valuable.” The guy said, “I don’t have any reasons my life is worthwhile. Not a single one.” Pastor Craig insisted. “Give me something good about yourself.” Scott said, “I’m a good writer.” “I’m funny.” “I look like Robert Redford.” By the 7th or 8th reason, Scott almost smiled. “My sister says I’m really faithful.” “My boss says I’m a really hard worker.” “I still have a very full head of hair.” By the time Scott had reached over 20 reasons, he was crying tears of joy, his life did matter! They kept going all the way ‘til they had 100 reasons written down on a pad of paper. Then Pastor Craig prayed for him, thanking God for Scott’s many wonderful qualities, and prayed that Scott would keep these reasons in his heart: so many reasons God loves him, is with him, and wants to encourage him that his life really matters.
Pastor Craig and Scott lost touch, until five years later, when Scott walks into church, with his new wife and kid and a big smile. Pastor Craig is happy to see him, and asks, do you remember that time you came to my office? Scott says, “I still have that paper, the 100 reasons. That completely saved my life!”
You have no idea what God can do through a simple word of encouragement you give someone.
It’s not the most natural thing to give encouragement. If a teenager wrecks the family car, do you lead with encouragement? Do you say, “Oh, accidents happen.” Or do When you yell, “What were you thinking, or why were you not thinking!”
We figure if we say to someone: “You messed up, it’s your fault,” that we are being helpful! We think it motivates someone to do better next time. But more often, when we lead with discouragement, it sets someone back, and it discourages them from ever trying again. If I say negative words to someone, that person will likely remember those words. It’s hard to forget a discouraging word.
In my Biology class in 10th grade I experienced the power of discouragement. The teacher said we had to do a science fair project if we wanted to get an A in the class. We didn’t have to do a project, but if we didn’t, we couldn’t get an A. I submitted a proposal for a science fait project. My teacher gave me a D+ on the proposal. I thought, that’s it. It must not be a good project. Who needs an A in Biology. I’m not doing the project.
Then I experienced the power of encouragement. My brother Joe is very encouraging. He said, “Oh, you can do it! Your proposal isn’t bad.” So, I decided it doesn’t hurt to try. I took my project to the county science fair and got an outstanding. I went to the district science fair and got an outstanding. I ended up at the state science fair. I went to a pretty big school, and I was the only one in my grade to make it to the state science fair. It all happened because someone encouraged me when I got a discouraging grade. Even after I made it to the state science faith, my teacher still insisted I had a bad project but just got lucky. It was an experiment on the color vision of the hermit crab, but for me it was really an experiment on the power of discouragement, and the power of encouragement. You have no idea what God can do through a simple word of encouragement you give someone.
In the book of Job in the Bible, Job is a guy who has so many troubles fall upon him at the same time: an enemy steals his oxen and donkeys and kills his servants. A fire burns up Job’s sheep and servants. Another enemy steals his camels. All of Job’s 10 children are having a party and the house falls in on them and they all die. Job is extremely upset, but still he praises God. However, he is angry with God and wants to talk to God, to tell him he doesn’t deserve all this. He is upset with God but still faithful.
Job’s friends figure they need to wag their fingers at Job. They tell Job that he is shaking his fist at God and he shouldn’t. The bad things that have happened to him are all his fault. They tell Job he is being punished by God for his sins, and he should tell God he is sorry.
Job gets tired of listening to them. These three friends give long speeches, telling him he is getting just what he deserves.
Job finally has enough of this and in chapter 16 says to them: “You are miserable comforters, all of you! 3 Will your long-winded speeches never end?
What ails you that you keep on arguing? 4 I also could speak like you,
if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you.
Job is right, anyone can discourage someone, it’s pretty easy to tell someone everything that is wrong with them.
Then Job says, “But if it were me, I would encourage you.
I would try to take away your grief.”
Job is the expert on what a person who is discouraged needs to hear. And he basically tells his friends, “If you lost your wealth and your family, I would encourage you. I would be the greatest voice of encouragement in your life on this side of heaven. I would want my words to build your faith and to strengthen your confidence.”
In the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, Hebrews 3: 13 says: “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
Notice it doesn’t say encourage one another every now and then. It doesn’t say encourage one another when the Spirit moves you. It says encourage one another DAILY. That’s a lot of encouragement. The easiest way to encourage someone is if you think something encouraging, say it. The moment you think something positive about someone, text or call them. The moment you think something encouraging, express it.
You know how Pastor Craig asked for 100 reasons Scott’s life was valuable? That was 100 encouraging things, and zero discouraging things. There was zero “You should have known better.” There was zero “It’s all your fault.” But 100 encouraging things!
Can you imagine if we all made it our goal to say 100 encouraging things for every one criticism? That’s a lot of comfort, a lot of hope and confidence we would be giving to others.
Sometimes you need to start encouraging others by encouraging yourself. Remember a couple weeks ago we wrote down something we were grateful for each day? Well how about this week, you encourage yourself or someone else each day. 7 reasons to be encouraged.
I’m encouraged by your faithfulness today: that you showed up in church or online or read the sermon, you encourage my faith! Tell someone near you: you encourage me! We encourage one another as members of the church.
People can look great on the outside, but you don’t know the battles and discouragement going on in their lives. If you think of something good and encouraging, say it! And talk to yourself, preach to yourself. Whenever you look at the news and it says, “Everything is going downhill, we’re never going to recover!” Encourage yourself! Say, “My God is good, all powerful, and ever present. God is my provider, and he will make a way. I’m called to be a light in the darkness. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Be an encourager. You have no idea what God might do through a single word of encouragement.
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