(oikodomeo – literally to build houses, plan and plant)
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Plan to build.
What a wonderful word Paul gives us. Encourage – be a house-builder. This word is a combination of the words, “house” and “build.” The thing I love about building is that it takes planning and a blueprint.
When we built an addition to our house several years ago I was surprised at how much time and money went into the planning stage. I was also surprised by how often I looked at the plans to make sure I knew where things were supposed to go and how they were supposed to work.
I had never thought of encouragement working in that way. I thought of encouragement as a spontaneous expression. The concept of catching someone doing a good thing and giving them recognition right then. It was serendipitous!
Is it possible to have a building plan and modify it when it comes to encouraging one another? Yeah, I know it sounds like work, but it is godly work.
What would happen if we could recognize a brother or sister’s gifting in the body of Christ and then systematically, methodically encourage them to develop that gift? Who has that role in our churches? If you answer, “Sunday School teachers and pastors,” or “Jesus” you are missing Paul’s point. Ask yourself, “What am I doing to encourage someone else?”
And before you turn inward by indulging in self-pity by thinking, “No one is encouraging me”. I challenge you to go first!
Encouragement can be more than a momentary boost of affirmation. It can also add long term strength and hope for the individual’s future. Any amount of godly encouragement is never a waste of time.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, I may not be the best planner in the world but I do know how to listen and obey. Please lead me and inspire me to think beyond just today and help build someone up for their tomorrow.