Be encouragers

Ethel Barrymore once noted, "When life knocks you to your knees — well, that's the best position in which to pray, isn't it?"

King David once noted, "God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Psalm 23: 1-3 MSG

What do we do when indeed life has knocked you to your knees? What do we do when the wheels run off, what has happened in your life has knocked you to the ground? 

The Apostle Paul wrote this, "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.

Here's the my idea. When things are at their worst for someone, let's be encouragers. Let's speak encouraging words to one another. Let's build up hope. Let's love and be loved.

I had a friend yesterday ask me a deep theological question. Seems this person had a friend since childhood who is living in sin today. This person asked if he could still be friends with this person.

I told this person that since we all fall short, since we all sin, I can't say anything more than we must love even the sinner as did Jesus. 

Encourage one another seems so easy, but we fall so hard.

"... Paul called the disciples together and encouraged them to keep up the good work in Ephesus. Then, saying his good-byes, he left for Macedonia. Traveling through the country, passing from one gathering to another, he gave constant encouragement, lifting their spirits and charging them with fresh hope."

Constant encouragement, lifted spirits, fresh hope. That's the Gospel, it seems to me.