ENCOURAGING OTHERS

I work in a nursing home a little bit, and those people need a lot of encouragement. If someone is physically disabled and can no longer take care of themselves, that is very sad to that person, to say the least. If they are mentally disabled, then most of the time they still have the mental capacity to realize that they are not able to take care of themselves, that they don't have control of themselves - and that too is very scary and sad. One of the best ways to encourage these people is to remember where their worth comes from and to remind them of that, and treat them accordingly. Where does our worth come from? From our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ. Whether we have accepted Christ or not, we are all made in his image and given the common grace that he gives us. And if we are his, then we have all the more worth, because Christ died for us!

You can also learn to read people and see what it is that resonates with them and what really encourages them. For example, this morning I told a woman I was so proud of her. Others might not like it because they'd think I was talking to them like a child if I told them I was proud of them. But I've learned to read her and how she feels beaten up by her family's negative words, and how positive words show her great love, and I knew that that was an encouraging thing to say to her. Think about learning to read others and to discover what is a meaningful way to show love to them, and then when you love them that way, you can be giving even more to them!