Cheerleaders: Being Your Friend's Biggest Fan
"Man's highest duty is to encourage others."
~Chuck Swindoll~
"There are so many hurts that circumstances and the world inflict upon us, we need the constant reinforcement of encouragement."
~Billy Graham~
We all need to feel valued by someone. A positive friend is someone who builds us up and encourages us. They are our motivators. We all need meanniningful verbal encouragement. Sadly though, it would seem easier for us to insult someone rather than praise someone.
Why is this? Why do we have such a hard time encouraging others while we, ourselves, enjoy receiving encouraging words from others?
*Encourager or Discourager?*
Do you have friends that make you feel like a better person when you are with them? Or... do you have friends that suck the life out of you?
Negative friends gradually emotionally wear away the positive morale of a good friendship. (Ladd & Kelly, 71)
When should we as friends encourage?
*When a friend is or has done something good
*When a friend is succeeding in an aspect of life
*When someone seems to be felt to be without hope
* When there are those that are understood
(Ladd & Kelly, 72)
A good biblical example of an encourager is: Barnabas friend of Paul (Saul). Read: Acts Chapter 9
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
Barnabas came into Paul's life after the conversion, and unlike many others who saw Paul as a condemner of Christians, Barnabas saw him in a whole new light. During some of Paul's most difficult times we see that Barnabas was Paul's encourager. (Ladd & Kelly, 74)
We too need to see with godly eyes and look beyond physical appearance to see the God given potential inside.
What about you? Do you have godly eyes?
Once we have acquired godly eyes we then need to take godly action. We can do so by standing by and defending the misunderstood.
Have you ever felt the pain of hopelessness? Do you know someone who is or has come to experience this pain recently? Were you a beacon of hope unto them...or they unto you?
Jesus was a true giver of hope. He cheered for the world shunned. He physically and emotionally healed the sick.
We too can be cheerleaders. Whether it is by the words we say or the things we do, we can be hope givers. (Ladd & Kelly, 7 cool
Keep in mind to, that the ones we go out on the limb for may be someone God has chosen to do a mighty work for Him!
View User's Journal
The Dark Inner Thoughts Of Dark Enchantress Destiny: The Real Me
This is basically a place where I will write random thoughts, studies, etc.
 |
Dark Enchantress Destiny
Community Member |
