Who are the people who make the biggest impact in your life? Are they the critics, the ever negative people, or are they the encouragers? Unfortunately, the negative people in my background have influenced me in more ways than I want to acknowledge. My default attitude is one of negativity, and I hate that about myself. I get sucked in to negative conversations so easily—sometimes even start them—YUCK!

 

The people I most want to be like “when I grow up” are the encouragers. I desire to be a “wherever” person rather than a “whenever” one. (Some people are a blessing wherever they go; some people are a blessing whenever they go.) Actually, this is my/our role as members of the Body of Christ. Hebrews 3:13 reads, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

 

Most of us fail to realize the impact we have on others. We don’t realize how our words influence. A kind word goes a long way today—we don’t hear enough of them. So today, I’ve had a wake-up call to be an encourager. And, by reading this blog, so have you (sucked you into this one, didn’t I?).

 

Before you log off, let me give you a real word of encouragement. Sunday I spoke on the adequacy of God and emphasized how we can have freedom from guilt through Jesus. The author of Hebrews wrote in 3:5, “Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant….” (When he said “His house” he was referring to serving God.) No mention of Moses’ taking things into his own hands and killing an Egyptian. No mention of his wilderness wonderings for so many years before God called him to lead His people. No mention of his disobeying God and striking the rock for water. NO MENTION OF MOSES’ SINS. When God forgives, He forgets.

 

Celebrate, child of God. You have been forgiven and your record expunged before God. Don’t let Satan pull you down into the muck and mire of guilt over things God no longer remembers. This is a blessed day—celebrate and encourage someone.