It was late last night when Tany and I almost fell into the trap of watching a TV programme about teenagers who appeared to have swapped their lives in the UK for a place in a school in South Africa. That was what I took to be going on but as I didn’t see the beginning or the end I’ll never really know.

Anyway, this girl had managed to get herself in trouble for using inappropriate language and was hauled in front  of the head. Instead of being yelled at she was spoken to like an adult and shown how having a negative attitude reflected really badly on her. It was a brilliant piece of management. Tany’s comment was along the lines of, ‘You know I’d work better for someone like that, rather than for someone who pointed out all my faults’.

I used to work for a chap who would continually say, ‘well done’. It didn’t matter how mundane the job was Henry would always recognise a job well done. We used to tease him a bit for it, but actually, the more experience I have of work the more I value it when someone stops and says, ‘well done’.

You know it’s Biblical to be encouraging. Paul writes about it in Romans 12,

⁶ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷ If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Now some people may be more gifted than others in different areas, but that doesn’t mean that we stop trying. Some things are just worth doing.

A quick Bible Gateway search returned 59 responses for the word ‘encourage‘. Mostly along the lines of, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thes 5:11).

Encouragement is great, it changes attitudes, motivates individuals and groups and generally makes all people feel better about themselves and the world in which we live. Why then do I find it so difficult? Sometimes I avoid being encouraging by telling a joke or teasing someone. It’s almost as though I feel awkward with positive affirmation. Instead I should really make the effort to encourage people whenever I can, I think it would make my world a much better place.