Encourage One Another
Hebrews 3:13
"Encourage one another daily,"
In 1968 both Warren and Louie were successful business owners in my small hometown. In spite of me having no deer hunting experience, these two men invited this kid to join them for the deer opener that fall. I had almost no hunting gear and my deer gun was an old J.C. Higgins bolt action 16 gauge, that was only somewhat accurate out to 40 yards. These guys lined up the hunting spot, showed me where to stand, and handed me my first deer hunting adventure. Back then there weren't that many deer in southern Minnesota, so the odds of success were mediocre at best, but my hopes were high.
It was around 9:00am when I first saw the buck feeding in the picked cornfield about 200 yards below that hillside I had been sitting on. In just minutes I crawled to within 50 yards of him, took aim, and fired. The buck's legs folded and he lay dead on the ground. I had harvested my first deer and in my mind he was a monster trophy buck! A fire had been ignited.
Thinking back, I realize that Warren and Louie didn't have to drag this kid along with them that fall, but instead they chose to include me in their hunt. They intentionally encouraged me, built me up, and gave me hopes and dreams that have lasted a lifetime.
In Romans 15:2 we are instructed to encourage others, and not just to think of ourselves. We read, "Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." We should use our words and actions to strengthen and encourage our neighbors and friends.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 we are urged to care about the needs of the people around us. We read, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." Our focus should be on intentional speech that builds up rather than tears down.
Proverbs 12:25 says, "Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up." Solomon points out that a kind word, a word of encouragement, can cheer us up. A sincere, uplifting, or godly word lifts a sad spirit and brings gladness back to a person.
1 Thessalonians 4:18 says, "Therefore encourage one another with these words."
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