A Note of Encouragement

Today, I received a note containing a bit of encouragement from a dear friend of mine.  As I read his note, my eyes filled up with tears, and I suddenly realized how much I needed his kind words.

We all need encouragement.  It's true that people need people.  It's also true that Christians need Christians.  There's a reason why Christians belong to the Body of Christ, why Christians are engrafted into the vine of Christ, why we are to live in community with one another:

• We all have unique and particular gifts that complement one another. (1st Corinthians, chapter 12)
• If we can't live peaceably in a Christian community, then we aren't very good Christians (Romans, chapter 12).
• And, when we live together in community, we are able to care for each other's needs and support one another with mutual encouragement. (1st Thessalonians, chapter 5)

It's not an easy thing to follow Christ.  The world constantly makes fun of us and seeks to pull us away from God.  It's difficult to live righteously when there is so much sin all around us.  It's easy to stumble and fall...

...but if we live in a compassionate community of Christians (church or small group), there are people to help us get back up again.  There are people to remind us that God forgives.  There are people to keep us accountable.  There are people to keep us from falling, and there are people who love us with the love of Christ no matter what.

Sure, there are those people we can point to in any church who aren't as compassionate as we think they should be, or who are bad influences, or who are unforgiving, or self-righteous, but the truth is that all Christians are on their way to becoming more like Christ.  None of us are there yet.  We are all "works in progress", and as such, we need all of the encouragement we can get...every day.  A smile, a hug, a kind word or deed can work wonders on the hurting soul.  If you are a Christian, then you are called to be Christ's hands and feet.  You are the difference someone needs in their life today.

Who needs some encouragement from you today?  A friend? Parent? Spouse? Maybe a son or daughter? Grandchild, niece, or nephew? Perhaps a co-worker? Or, maybe a pastor or church leader?  Is there someone who needs help getting back up again, who needs to know they have forgiveness in Christ, who needs an accountability partner, or needs your unconditional love?  How can you be Christ to someone else today?

I'll close my post tonight with words of encouragement from one of my favorite hymns by one of my favorite authors, John Bunyan.

He Who Would Valiant Be

He who would valiant be ’gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round with dismal stories
Do but themselves confound - his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,
He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.

Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,
We know we at the end, shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away! I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.