Key Church Principle #26: Encouragement

Key Church Principle: Encouragement
Acts 13: 15-31

Do you ever wish you lived home, home on the range? You know, where the deer and the antelope play.

          It’s the next line of the song I am driving at, “Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word.” Unfortunately, we don’t live on a range. Antelope are never seen playing with deer (in fact, antelope are not even native in America). Skies often get cloudy.

         And we hear way, way too many words of discouragement.

         In Act 13:15 is one of my favorite passages, “If you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it!”

          We need to resist the urge to be critical of everything that doesn’t suit us. We should always seek to speak words of exhortation and encouragement. If we have to be critical, find something positive and say it first. Edification means to build people up, not putting people down.

          Have you been known to vent? A vent is generally known for being full of hot air! There are people we sometimes avoid because if they see something to gripe about, they will. If you find yourself always being critical, ask yourself first, "What is motivating me to be critical?"

          We should look for ways to give compliments to others, especially laborers in ministry. If a discouraging word doesn’t have to be said, then don’t say it.