30 Days of Encouragement {Day 12}: Who Shall We Encourage?

For the series starter, click here.

Moving right along in our conversation about encouraging one another, we come to the question of who, or is it whom?  I dunno, but hope you understand me!  Here we are: To whom shall we give encouragement?  Our Hebrews passage speaks directly to believers and is telling them to encourage one another, especially in the body of believers.

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

Yet how little we see this.  Or to bring it home: How little we practice it ourselves!  Here's a challenge question to ask yourself:  How often do you head into Sunday morning worship or Sunday school or  Bible study or small group thinking about how you can encourage other believers gathering there?

Ouch.  Right?

But there in Hebrews 10 it says we should be encouraging one another when we're meeting together, trying to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  So when it comes to the question of who/whom, the Bible is talking about fellow believers.  And really, if we cannot encourage one another within the fold, when we have Christ in common already, we can be sure it will be very challenging to encourage those outside the Body

Which brings me to this point: we are to encourage those outside the body of believers, too.  The lips of the believer should always be ready to speak words of life.  We can, even in conversations with those who are not Christians, help people along to know Him or at least think about He might factor into their life.  Remember how we defined encouragement?

encrouragement: the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope that is grounded in Christ and points them to Him

Can you see how critical it is, then, to be doing this with fellow believers.  We don't need to be shy about it.  Christ is our Lord and He's coming again!  Christ is our Savior and fear no longer needs to dominate in our relationships.  We've been set free to be real and offer real encouragement.

Who shall we encourage?

Everyone, but especially fellow brothers and sisters in Christ!