"Lord, Help Us To Be People Who Encourage"

The story is told of a little 6-year-old girl who was beginning her first ice-skating lessons. Her grandparents were in attendance to give her encouragement. As she skated around the ice rink, she took quite a few falls. But her instructor was always right there to pick her up and encourage her. Other skaters stopped to tell her she was doing well. Her mom and dad were watching from the sidelines, cheering her on. The little girl had plenty of patient instruction and support, so whenever she fell on the ice, she immediately got right back up and kept on trying.

Beloved, all Christians need this kind of instruction and encouragement, do we not? But especially do we need to further instruct and encourage new converts in Christ (note Barnabas as an individual who greatly encouraged Saul in Acts 9:23-31).

As new babes in Christ set aside old habits and learn new ways of thinking and acting through a study of the Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV), they may frequently stumble and fall. It’s at this point that we who are more mature in the faith, gently pick them up, instructing and encouraging them in their Christian walk (Gal. 6:1-2; cf. Romans 15:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:14).

New converts to Christ don’t need someone pointing critical fingers at them or making pious pronouncements of judgment.

Lord, as Your followers, please help us to be people who encourage like Barnabas, remembering Paul’s words that we too are subject to weaknesses and to falling. Help us to bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ, in Jesus‘ name, Amen!

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets