“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you are also doing…We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” ( I Thes. 5:11,14 NIV).
Do you remember the last time someone encouraged you? It seems that God has always put people in my life who are encouragers, and I’m so very thankful for their loving ministry to me. I have gotten cards with such wonderful words of encouragement from a teacher at school. Those words helped me see how Christ can use me in my work and that with His help I can accomplish what He wants me to do. I think all of us need that encouragement from time to time. We have a tendency to get all caught up with the needs in our jobs and family, that we fail to see the needs of our friends and co-workers. When was the last time you spoke or wrote a word of encouragement to someone who you knew was struggling? Paul tells us in this passage, or should I say orders us, to help each other out. We are to build one another up so that those who are outside of Christ will see our good works and seek the Lord. My challenge to you is to encourage someone this week. I would like to encourage the teachers in my life right now. I read in a magazine how a man was changed forever by two teachers who cared about him. “As a child, Ned Hallowell, MD had a bipolar father, an alcoholic mother, and two disabilities—ADD and dyslexia. He was sent to boarding school where he attached to two teachers who took him under his wing. He says, “They saved my life.” Today he’s a prominent psychiatrist, happily married father of three and author of a dozen books about the value of what he calls “human moments” --- our meaningful connections to other people.” November 2007, Prevention magazine.
Teachers, I hope this is an encouragement to you. You may never know what an impact you have made in your student’s lives, but it surely is worth the effort. We must believe that our influence on these students’ lives goes way past the grade level we teach. We can make a tremendous impact on a student’s life just by using encouraging and positive words. Many of our students come to us with problems and need someone to care and believe in them. We can be that person who saves their lives just like teachers did for Ned. What a wonderful profession we are in.
Dear Lord,
Help us to be encouragers this week. Help us to seek out those who need help and show them your love by being the encourager you would have us to be. Help us to always be seeking ways to show your love to others.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
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