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Scripture is filled with inspirational stories of men and women engaging in the ministry of encouragement. Just the mention of names such as David and Deborah gives hope to the weary. Prophets like Elijah and Elisha urged their countrymen to maintain a covenant relationship with God. The psalmists cheered the hearts of worshipers by centering their thoughts on the goodness and greatness of the Lord. The apostles devoted their lives to dispensing good news of forgiveness and abundant life in Christ. Clearly, the Bible was written and preserved as a source of encouragement for all ages.
Encouragers Needed Today
Yet never has the need for encouragement been greater than today. Watching the evening news, one quickly gets a sense that man's search for meaning and happiness has been misguided and unsatisfying. That trend is especially evident among America's youth. The rate of attempted suicide among teens is an indication that they are deeply discouraged. Gang involvement is another clear cry for help. If adolescents do not receive attention and support from parents, they will find it among peers. They desperately want to feel a sense of belonging and to know they matter to others. That desire to belong is so strong that young people will place themselves in great personal jeopardy to satisfy it. Numerous types of risky or self-destructive behavior are related to a lack of encouragement.
Hopelessness is by no means limited to the hormone-driven adolescent years. Adults frequently exhibit despondency in unhealthful practices such as alcoholism and adultery. In most cases, discouragement does not lead to sinful or embarrassing behavior, but it is invariably disruptive to any sense of normalcy in daily life.
The media makes its living by spotlighting extreme examples of human despair, but discouragement can also take milder, less newsworthy forms. Perhaps the most common evidences of hopelessness arc garden-variety depression (feeling down-in-the-dumps) and negative attitudes about the ability to change. Far from innocuous, these beliefs and emotions lead to self-defeating habits that mire people in despondency. Over time, what may appear to be a harmless case of the blues or low self-esteem can ravage a person's ability to function and enjoy life.
Human Magnets
People need and desire encouragement regardless of their sex, social status or stage in life. Whether confronting a personal problem or celebrating an accomplished goal, what kind of individuals do people seek out with whom to share their joys and sorrows? Do they search for pessimists and prophets of doom? Do they long to talk with critics and cynics? No, they look for people with a special talent to encourage.
Encouragers clearly bring out the best in others, but what is it that makes them so likeable? The attraction can he traced back to a pattern of behavior that all encouragers have in common. They listen in a way that makes people feel understood. They are patient and slow to judge. Encouragers take time for others and make them feel special. They rejoice in people's personal victories and are sincerely excited for them. Because discouragers lack these qualities, their personalities tend to drive others away rather than draw them closer.
A Matter of Choice
Although the terms "encouragement" and "discouragement" are relative in nature, it is true that every human being will fall more or less into one of these two categories. It is not possible to be all of one and none of the other, but the goal should be to gravitate toward becoming more of an encourager. Like the stock market, everyone will have ups and downs, good moments and bad ones, but each should strive to move in a more positive direction with the passing of time.
