Encouraging, Admonishing, Lifting Up

1 Thessalonians 5:11,14 ESV
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing…And we urge you, brothers (and sisters), admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”

1. Encourage- Encouraging is what we should always be. It should be our nature to encourage people. To encourage is to talk to someone or even behave in a way that gives someone confidence in themselves and confidence to do something that they need to do.

Paul recognizes that the church of Thessalonica was encouraging, he just wanted them to continue the good work even in the light of all that was happening around them.

2. Build one another up. Building someone up is strengthening them, giving them confidence, hope and self-esteem. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…”

3. Admonish the idle. This is a difficult thing to say to Christians because some Christians will go full Rambo on people that they think are idle. That is not our duty. Our duty is to spur them on, wake them up, get them moving for the Lord.

4. Encourage the fainthearted. Fainthearted is when we become exasperated, overwhelmed with hopelessness. Those we will come along side and hold them up until they can walk on their own.

5. Help the weak. We cannot overlook or forget about the ones who are weak and feeble. They need to know that they matter just like the rest of us. In times they ran the race, but now they are tired and need our strength, our help, our love and our concern.

6. Be patient with them all. Patience with people that are not where you and I are, is difficult. We wonder why they are downtrodden, possible weak, maybe hopeless. Give them a strong dose of courage to believe, to trust and to keep pressing on.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You came to us when we needed You. Some cannot see the way or gain enough strength, use us to reach them as Your representatives, with the same love, care, concern and patience that You gave us. In Your Mighty name, Amen!