Are you discouraged, depressed, or just have the blahs? Then it sounds like you need to be encouraged. Isn’t it amazing how an encouraging word can brighten your mood? One of the characteristics of God is that He is an encourager. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement… (II Corinthians 1:3). It is no surprise then that our God of kindness is also known as an encourager. One of the best acts of kindness we can show to others is to encourage them when they are down to help them stay strong in the faith.
God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it. I Thessalonians 5:9-11 (The Message)
The Son of Encouragement
A famous encourager in the Bible is Joseph, a Levite, from Cyprus. What, you don’t recognize this man? Perhaps because he was given the name Barnabas by the apostles which means, Son of Encouragement. He is first introduced to us in Acts where he sold a piece of property he owned and gave all the proceeds to the apostles (Acts 4:36 & 37). He was a holy man and powerful evangelist.
In fact, it was Barnabas who brought Paul to the apostles. The apostles were too afraid to meet Paul because of his persecution of Christians. However, Barnabas met Paul and understood that he had indeed seen Jesus on the road to Damascus, and was now a follower of Jesus. In fact, at this point, Barnabas was the master evangelist and Paul was his apprentice. During the first missionary journey originating in Antioch, Barnabas and Paul were set apart by the Holy Spirit. John Mark, a relative of Barnabas’ also accompanied them on this missionary journey. Unfortunately, John Mark left Barnabas and Paul in Cyprus and went to Jerusalem.
Barnabas and Paul were slated to take a second missionary journey as well. Barnabas wanted John Mark to join them again. However, Paul strongly disagreed because John Mark had deserted them on the first journey. They ended up going their separate ways. Paul took Silas with him to visit the churches outside of Cyprus which Barnabas and He had founded, and Barnabas took John Mark with him to Cyprus. (Note: Just because Paul and Barnabas disagreed about John Paul did not mean they were on the outs with each other.) The scriptures don’t record any other journeys of Barnabas.
What is important to know, is that the Son of Encouragement mentored both Paul and John Mark, thereby putting his mark of encouragement on the New Testament. Although the New Testament does not record any writings of Barnabas, John Mark went on to write the Gospel of Mark and Paul to write 13 books – Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Barnabas saw the potential in both John Mark and Paul and encouraged them in their faith in Jesus and in their purposes that God had for their lives. Barnabas’ encouragement still influences Believers today!
Why Become an Encourager?
We have become a society of complainers. We are angry with little hope that life will improve. Financially, many of us are struggling to make ends meet. Many workers are overworked and exhausted due to the shortage of workers. Salaries have not kept up with rising costs of everyday necessities. Every time we turn around someone else we know has come down with COVID – some have died. It’s tough right now. This is why we Christians need to show the world encouragement. I don’t mean false Pollyanna hope, but true hope. As we also struggle through these difficult times, we can still have joy because our hope is in God. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (II Corinthians 4:8 & 9). Christians experience the same hardships as everyone else. The only way we are able to survive and become stronger is because of God’s encouragement.
Since God encourages us, we need to encourage others. When we encourage others, we are being kind and showing God’s love to them by giving them an everlasting hope. When Christians experience difficult situations and God has encouraged us and walked through the darkness with us, He then asks us to help others in the same way.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. For as Christ’s sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement also overflow. If we are afflicted, it is for your encouragement and salvation; if we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which enables you to endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is firm, for we know that as you share in the sufferings, you also share in the encouragement. II Corinthians 1:3-7
Another reason to encourage others is to reach unbelievers with the Gospel of Christ. When we give encouragement, we are God’s light shining in a dark world. People notice when someone is an encourager because that person is so different than others they encounter. An encourager puts others first and focuses on helping without any thought to themselves. It is God that should get the glory through our encouragement of others. When He is glorified, then God’s kindness through us, brings people to salvation. Paul writes to Timothy stating as much.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. II Timothy 4:1 & 2
Finally, a benefit of encouragement is that it brings harmony and unity. We don’t really ever think of this as a side-effect of encouragement, but it is. When was the last time you were angry with someone who encouraged you? It doesn’t happen, does it? Being an encourager is really God’s radical love in serious action.
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15: 5 & 6
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. II Corinthians 13:11
How to be an Encourager
So, how do we become Sons and Daughters of Encouragement like Barnabas? First, we need to be filled up with God’s encouragement. There are certain things we can do to be encouraged by Him. We can read the Bible consistently. We can also go to church on a regular basis. This is not always easy to do, but if your church streams their services and you need to stay home and away from crowds because of COVID, then streaming is the next best option. Maybe, you can meet regularly with a Bible study that doesn’t involve big crowds. The point is, God formed the church to be a community of Believers who encourages each other. This is why it is so important to stay connected to your church. We need to also guard our hearts. When our hearts are pure, then it is much easier to encourage another person with pure motives, giving God the glory. Read the scriptures below and see how the Bible gives us instructions for how to become an encourager.
For whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4
We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:25
Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. Hebrews 3:12 & 13
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word. II Thessalonians 2:16-17
Photo Credit: May 8, 2013. https://avatel.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/encouragement-powerofencouragement.jpg
