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One of the best
Christmas gifts we can give this year is the gift of encouragement. The
Bible says we are to "encourage one another and build each other up."
(1st Thessalonians 5:11). One of the best ways to build up another
person is to have faith in him or her even when others do not.
A teacher had the
custom of picking out one of the homeliest, most backward girls of her
class each year. Every day, the teacher would tell the little girl
something positive about her appearance or her personality. Even when
the little girl came in dirty or unkempt, the teacher would think of
something positive to say about her. Almost without exception, a gradual
change would come over the girl until at the end of the school year she
had blossomed into a radiant, beautiful, confident person.
Jesus delighted in
encouraging those that the establishment of his day saw as outcasts. He
called Zacchaeus the tax collector down from a tree and transformed him
from a stingy, despised man to a generous, likable fellow. He spoke
words of confidence to a band of fishermen, and they were transformed
into men who changed the world. He kindly forgave an adulterous woman
and told her to leave her destructive lifestyle.
Someone once said,
"The happiest wife is not the one that marries the best man, but the one
that makes the best of the one she married." How we encourage and build
up those around us effects not only their happiness, but our own
happiness as well.
Persons who
constantly degrade others are usually unhappy with themselves. By
dwelling on the faults and imperfections of other persons, they secretly
can win any comparisons they make. But in the process, they become
unhappier with themselves as friends become more distant and
relationships begin to crumble.
The story goes that
an old farmer was out hunting with his ancient bird dog. Every so often,
the half-crippled dog would run forward, bark weakly, and point ahead.
Even though no birds would rise, the farmer would take his old shotgun
and fire into the air. "Why do you shoot when there are no birds?" the
farmer’s companion wanted to know.
"Well," said the
farmer in his southern drawl. "I know there’s no birds in that grass.
But old Spot’s nose just ain’t what it used to be. He’s been a mighty
good friend and companion, and he’s doin’ the best he can. It just
wouldn’t be right of me to call him a liar at this stage of his life."
Each day, we should
all ask ourselves, "Will those I see today feel blessed or put down
because I came in contact with them today?"
The Bible says that
love "always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."
(1st Corinthians 13:7). In other words, love always looks for the best
in other persons.
Jesus said that we
are to extend such love even to those who give us a rough time. ""Love
your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27) The reward of being
positive to negative people is not that they will be changed, although
that may happen. The real reward, according to Jesus, is that we will
find peace as we become more like our heavenly Father.
Paul Jetter, Upper Valley Community Church |
