Encouragement
I’ve been reading a book lately that has lots of good things to say in the area of marriage, but the one that stands out to me so far is the need to give our spouse praise and encouragement. They need to be encouraged and praised and we feel good when we give it out. I think this need exists in everyone including spouses, children, friends, co-workers and so on.
Have you ever been around a person who always has a since positive encouraging word for everyone they meet? I often think I want to be like that, but I’m afraid I often fall short. God has been showing me how important it is to give my family praise. Now I need to make it happen. I don’t know why it is so much easier to pick on the people we love than it is to give an encouraging word. I guess it is that sin nature that automatically sees the bad, but we are to lazy to work at seeing and commenting on the good. Someone once said it takes 10 positive comments to overcome one negative comment. I don’t know if that is true, but it sure gives me something to think about!!!
The Bible has a lot to say on the topic.
"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Pr. 16:24
"An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." Pr. 12:25
I don’t think that I am a negative person, but I don’t want to be neutral either. So I am going to start asking the Lord for positive words to say to people. I want to be one of those people that I have so long admired.
