Encouragement

I’ve long had this idea that when I’m very old I want to be someone who is open and flexible enough to respond to what God is doing, and I particularly want to be someone who is an encourager of others. However, realism tells me that those qualities won’t just emerge out of nowhere when reaching a certain age! Rather, they need to be woven into my life by my cooperation with the Holy Spirit in the here and now. Today’s passage is all about encouragement.

The church in Antioch (the place where the original controversy broke out) was encouraged by the content of the letter from the Jerusalem Council, by the understanding and affirmation that it communicated. In addition, Judas and Silas, although accompanying Paul and Barnabas and not as well known, “said much to encourage and strengthen the believers” (32). We know very little about Judas, but Silas, who some think was his brother, was a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37) and both were leaders in the Jerusalem church (22) and prophets (32). Although not the main players in this story up until now, when given the opportunity, they overflowed with the sort of encouragement that imparted strength to those on the receiving end.

How are encouragement and strengthening linked? Why can they have such a positive effect? Both experience and Scripture (1 Pet. 5:12; 2 Chron. 32:6-8) indicate that it’s to do with giving hope, helping people to see the bigger picture of God’s power and loving purposes for them, and lifting their spirits by standing with them in their circumstances. Sowing encouragement into others’ lives can also benefit us. Here the people were strengthened, were glad and later spoke a blessing of peace in the lives of Silas and Judas (31,33).

After you talk with others daily, are they left feeling encouraged and strengthened or the opposite? Resolve to change someone’s day (week, or life) by encouraging them.