Encouragement, Acts 11:22-26
Great job! You got this! Hang in there! I’ve been there, let’s talk. It’s going to get better! Such simple phrases can have a great impact on someone who is going through a rough time. To encourage someone is to inspire, give hope (LASB). One day while tutoring, a student told me that I always point out the bad, that I was not acknowledging the good grades only the bad ones. I was taken by this observation the student made, as I try my best to always encourage them when they seemed to feel the work was too hard or perhaps felt challenged by an assignment. This opened my eyes to a second piece involved in encouraging, to not only push for the future but to remember past success as well. Barnabas was sent to the church at Antioch to seek evidence of the conversion of the Gentiles. He witnessed to the new believers and encouraged them to stay strong in their faith. Because of what he had witnessed, Barnabas encouraged Saul (Paul) to go to Antioch to tea...