Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Encouragement is something we all need. We don’t have to be DIS-couraged in order to need encouragement. In fact, speaking for myself, I seek out those who are encouraging and helpful when I am discouraged. When things are bad, we want to get out of it. We need more than this. We need regular encouragement. That’s even one of the reasons God commands us to gather together – so we can encourage one another.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
When we have opportunity, we should seek to encourage and be encouraged. When we are all doing this, we will all be better off! We should then have the effect of everyone being encouraged. To be clear, I don’t just mean lifting of spirits, though that can be important. I mean encouragement to faithfulness, which is what the Hebrew writer was speaking of as he goes into chapter 11 with many examples of faithful individuals.
Barnabas was called “son of encouragement”. Imagine how popular he must have been when they met together! Everyone likes to be encouraged, but who was encouraging Barnabas? I hope many were. I hope they understood that it’s a 2 way street. The design of the church and our local assembly includes encouraging each other. We can fulfill this part by simply seeking opportunities to not leave anyone out and lift each other up. If we could all be a Barnabas, then everyone will be encouraged and all the more as the Day draws near.
