September 2023
Encouragement
B. Keith Chapman, President & CEO
Published: September 1, 2023
Recently, I was in a local doughnut shop standing in line when I noticed a little girl get into the line behind me. She was sitting with her family and must have convinced them that she needed something else from the counter. I could hear her talking to herself as she stood in line behind me. She said, “Okay…you got this…you have ordered and paid for your food by yourself before, and you can do it again!” Inspired by what I was hearing, I turned around to look at her, and she just smiled and kept talking. When it came time for her to order, she confidently stepped up to the counter and placed her order. After leaving, I couldn’t help but think about what I had just witnessed. She would not let the fear of ordering and paying alone stop her from getting what she wanted. When no one else was around, she spoke words of encouragement to herself that helped her through the moment. While some may think this is just a cute story, it is more of a life lesson.
Olympic Athlete Andrew Murphy once said, “You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.” Our insecurities and figurative limitations build walls around us every day. It is very easy to stay within those walls (also known as our comfort zone), especially when there is a lack of motivation and encouragement. There is tremendous power in the words we speak, even when we are talking to ourselves. Proverbs 18:21 (NIV) says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” There is no greater margin of opportunity than the one between life and death. The second part of the passage reminds us that we will benefit from the fruit (or product) of our words. Negative words will produce bad fruit that results in discouragement. Positive comments will produce good fruit that encourages and builds up. This example of fruit is used multiple times throughout the Bible. Fruit is mentioned again in Matthew 7:17, “A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.” This chapter in Matthew explains that you can tell which people around you will be good for you by the fruit that they produce in their own lives. Not only should we choose to speak positive words into our lives, but we must be careful not to let others discourage us by speaking negatively.
Romans 15:5 says, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” This passage is encouraging because it reminds us that God is in the business of providing us with willpower and encouragement. The selection also suggests that we should have the same attitude toward one another. The struggles will come and go regardless of who or where you are in life. We can all benefit from encouragement occasionally, so look for opportunities to encourage those around you. If you find yourself alone and need encouragement, speak life into the situation, and remember we all have access to a God who can provide endurance and encouragement when we need it the most.
Challenge: Don’t let insecurities and self-built walls limit your success. Remember, our words have the power of life and death. Use these words to encourage one another. Don’t forget that we have access to a God who can provide the strength and encouragement we need regardless of our situation.
