Caring for Others: The Art of Encouragement - Part III

Encouragement - what it is and how it works
One definition of encouragement is this:

Encouragement is the expression we use, either verbal or non-verbal, in helping a person cope with or overcome a difficult time in their life and experience.

Every Christian is called to be an encourager. Hebrews 10:24-25 suggests 3 essential factors in effective encouragement:

24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

From this passage, we learn:

A. We must have the opportunity to encourage. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing..."

B. We must consider the principles of encouraging others: "Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds."

C. We must continue in the ministry of encouragement in an increasing measure: "... and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Something that also caught my attention was that encouragement is meant with a purpose in mind. Ultimately, all encouragement is meant to help someone get from point A to point B. As an encourager, you do NOT carry the person's burden from A to B - you help the person walk from A to B!

As Sam the hobbit said to Frodo in The Return of the King:

I may not be able to carry [your burden] for you... but I can carry YOU!