Are you a cheerleader?
Are you a cheerleader? Not the sort of cheerleader in a skimpy uniform on the side of an American Football field performing gymnastic tricks!
But the sort who cheers people on. God has given some a special gift of encouragement, but we are all able to support and encourage one another. ‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing’. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
This verse got me thinking and so this post offers some practical ideas about how we can live this out.
Notice those who encourage you
If you find it difficult to know what to say to encourage someone, think about what people say to you that encourages you. Learn from them. Use those ways to encourage others and as it becomes more natural to you, you will find other things to say or ways to encourage someone.
Praise and Positivity
Praise others for their help not just to you but when you notice them helping others. Acknowledge the things that people do and the person they are. If you are introducing someone try to include something positive about them. You will have noticed that when the Sunday morning speaker is introduced at Jubilee there is always praise, acknowledgement and positivity.
Celebrate all the wins
Celebrate victories together. Not just the big things but the small wins too. Hearing about other people’s small wins gives us an opportunity to encourage them but it also gives us hope that we can achieve small wins too.
Share your small wins publicly on a Sunday morning. You may never know who will be encouraged by what you say. They may not be struggling with the same situation but they may hear what you say and feel that they can share with a trusted friend the problem they are facing. We often don’t know what seeds of hope we are planting.
Supporting one another
So often we tend to think of encouragement as something we only do in positive situations. But the Bible says: ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn’. Romans 12:15 (NIV).
Or as The Message puts it ‘Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down’.
Often when we are overwhelmed or feeling down, we retreat. How often have you felt you would really like to hibernate? It is sometimes difficult to share how we are feeling and there is a tendency to put up a brave face. We say ‘Fine’ when someone asks us how we are!
Keep an eye out for those who are struggling. They may have told you they are fine but read their body language. Watch out for them when they think no-one is watching. The mask may have slipped.
What can we do?
So often we will ask someone what we can do to help. Why not find a way to help without asking. At Jubilee we’re very good at providing meals but there are other ways to show our support.
Send a friend an encouraging card. Give a gift card for a grocery store or restaurant.
Call someone unexpectedly. Do a house chore for someone. Babysit for a friend.
Take someone to lunch. Bake treats with your kids to give away. Give a small gift.
Send flowers or pick fresh flowers and take them round. Compliment them. Listen.
Buy their favourite sweets or chocolate. Call someone to say, “Thank You.”
These ideas don’t just apply to our Jubilee family. Think about your friends, family, work colleagues and neighbours. How can you encourage them?
Are you your own cheerleader?
How do you speak about yourself? How do you speak to yourself?
These are important questions. We may be the world’s best at encouraging others but not so good at encouraging ourselves.
Do you say negative things about yourself? Do you think negative things about yourself?
Would you say those negative things to someone else about them?
No. So don’t say them to yourself. Encourage yourself.
Congratulate yourself when you’ve finished a difficult task. Be proud of your work. If proud is a difficult concept – think satisfied, delighted or pleased. Being proud of something is not the same as being prideful.
Encouragement is the giving of courage, confidence, hope, support and help. Not just to others but to yourself.
Recently in our Sunday teaching we have been thinking about our relationships with one another, including this one about ‘How we talk’.
I wrote this poem whilst I was thinking about the power of our words.
Do you remember what it was you said?
Do you remember
what it was you said?
Every word?
Every intonation?
Words released like feathers
shaken from a bag
Unable to retrieve them
as they shot into the air.
Do you remember
what it was you said?
Regret the words
that left your mouth
before a thought kicked in?
Let fly with hurtful talk
which led to separation?
Do you remember
what it was you said?
And afterward
knew exactly what you’d done?
Do you remember
what it was you said?
Every word?
Every intonation?
Words released like feathers
gently falling from a bag
Caught on the air
by the listener.
Do you remember
what it was you said?
Love the words
of praise and positivity
Thoughtful words
that encourage and support,
building up, not knocking down,
cementing a relationship.
Do you remember
what it was you said?
And afterward
knew exactly what you’d done?
