“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 (NIV)
Be An Encourager
The date was October 2, 1977. Outfielder Dusty Baker had just hit his 30th home run of the season during the last game of the year. His teammate, Glenn Burke, was waiting on deck and met Baker at the plate. Excited for his teammate’s accomplishment, he thrust his hand in the air.
“His hand was up in the air, and he was arching way back,” Baker said. “So I reached up and hit his hand. It seemed like the thing to do.”
And that, my friends, is the first recorded occurrence of the universal signal of encouragement: the high-five.
Encouragement is a crucial ingredient for the success of any team. It can provide motivation or inspiration, and a supportive teammate can make all of the difference when a player isn’t on top of his game. Having a culture of encouragement can be difference between winning and losing, between success and failure.
Likewise, spiritual encouragement is essential for us to live out God’s plan in our lives. It is vital to have Christians in our lives that are there to pick us up when we are down, hold us accountable when things get tough, and push us to obedience when our persistence is lacking.
This also means that we often need to be the encourager for our Christian brothers and sisters in their times of need. We must remind them of how powerful the gospel is and of Christ’s promises in His last days walking the earth.
– Jamie Boggs
