June 15, 2022 –
Ever wonder why some people are better encouragers than others? Why one is a giver and not a taker? Why do some boost those that are down? Why one is loyal and covers your back?
While we can obviously attribute some differences to education, environment, entourage, or experiences, that part of the answer is you could encourage others if you loved them as yourself.
The story of Ruth and Naomi is an example of biblical encouragement and a key to being an encourager. These two women spent ten years together as mother-in-law/daughter-in-law. Through incredibly hard circumstances, including back-breaking work, Ruth encouraged her Mother-in-law Naomi through her loyalty, loving generosity, and sacrifice.
The Bible spotlights the encouraging Ruth in her answer to Naomi’s attempts to keep her in Moab. “Do not persuade me to leave you or go back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Yahweh punish me, and do so severely, if anything, but death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1: 16,17, HCSB) Being an encourager resulted in a reward. A family and being In Jesus’s lineage.
While loyalty and putting the good of the other person ahead of yourself and being willing to go the extra mile will encourage others, make certain your encouragement is genuine and giving with love.
Convince yourself every day that you can help people experience a good life. Let go of yourself and give of yourself. Let friends, neighbors, and strangers know they are not alone.