Building up others is a gift to those around us. People who build us up are significant along our journey because they are interested in us when others may not be. A parent or other influential person’s words can shape and mold us in ways that are hard to quantify. Encouragers inspire us when we feel like giving up and listen when we need someone to talk to.
Think about those around you and who you could impact with words of encouragement. 1 Thess. 5:11So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.[1] Barnabas went with the Apostle Paul on his first missionary journey. Barnabas’s real name was Joseph, but the disciples renamed him Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement,” because he loved encouraging others.
Our Enemy Tries to Discourage Us
If you have not had an encourager in your life, God Himself is always there. His Word builds us up and inspires us. He is always there when we need someone to pour out our hearts to. There is no more incredible friend as we walk through life than our Lord Jesus.
In our story of a woman caught in adultery, the Pharisees want to destroy not only the woman but also Jesus. John 8:1 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.[2]
The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus by putting Him in a no-win situation. This is often the enemy’s tactic. John 10:10 The thief’s (satan) purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. My (Jesus) purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. [3] These Jewish leaders weren’t about to build anyone up and wanted to destroy both the woman and Jesus.
Children of God Build Up Others
Take a moment and place yourself in the story as the woman. You have made a poor decision and are fearful and weeping as you face death. The religious leaders claim to know God, but the fruit of their actions shows us they don’t. Jesus, whom these same leaders are testing, comes to your aid as He intervened unexpectedly.
Jesus came to bring light into this dark situation. There is sin; there is manipulation in this story. The light of Jesus exposed the corrupt hearts of the leaders, but at the same time, His light met the woman where she was. She had sinned, but the light of Jesus showed her there could be a different way.
As followers of Jesus, we, too, are called to reflect His light by building up instead of tearing down. Building up others gives them hope and strength to move in a positive direction on their spiritual journey. God’s power allows you to build up others in the most unexpected circumstances. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/light-in-sin
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.