Encouraging Words
As a teenager, can you be an encouragement to someone by what you say when you are on the basketball court or the volleyball court or the classroom. When we look at Scripture, I believe we are missing a major component to building up others by missing the little opportunities to say an encouraging word. Ms. Christi and I were texting each other the other day about something and through the course of conversation, I said something that brought about a response I would have never dreamed of…she said, “that is the sweetest thing you have ever said to me.” My point here is not to “toot my own horn,” but to show how powerful our words are.
“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Paul is encouraging Timothy to not let others put him down simply because of his age. What’s the first area that Paul focuses on? That’s right, “in word”, which is how we speak to others. How did you respond to that person in your class having a rough day? How did you respond to the person on the court who messed up and possibly cost the game for his or her team? In the moment, a kind and encouraging word to that person might be the difference between them giving up or continuing to work harder to get better.
During my conversation with my wife, I did not spend hours trying to come up with the perfect response. Actually, I was as surprised as she was at the effect my comment had on her. The lesson I took from our conversation was this: sometimes it’s the genuine and simplest of comments that make the biggest difference in someone’s life. What are you saying to others? How are you responding to those who need encouragement?