If you're anything like me, you've had days where nothing seems to be going right. Choosing joy is hard when you're caught in a whirlwind of anxiety about grades, jobs, friends, money, relationships, and everything else in between.
AND
If you're anything like me, it's hard to be selfless. Honestly, if I really evaluate myself, I'm pretty sure I'm the most selfish person I know. My thoughts are almost always about me. My actions are all me-centered. My hopes are me-centered. Humility doesn't come easily to me.
Our generation is focused on themselves.
Everything is me-centered. You would think the world revolves around each of us individually the way we act.
Yeah, we've all heard it's great to encourage other people, but really, what are YOU doing to encourage others? Not much? A little bit here and there? Really think about it.
Jesus spent his whole time on this earth serving others.
He never thought of himself once to the point of death. What if we tried to live like that?
If I were to sit here and tell you I'm the best encourager in the world, I would be horrendously wrong. In fact, I'm pretty sure the majority of the time I am anything but encouraging. However, this year I have begun to realize the importance of encouragement. I have had the privilege of serving with a ministry called BCM on my campus this year and it has changed my whole perspective on how I look at others and how I serve them instead of myself.
When we encourage fellow believers, we building unity in the body of Christ. When we encourage the lost, we are showing them Jesus and opening doors for gospel conversations.
Here are just a few things you can do to encourage those around you:
1. Pray for them.
Tell them you're praying for them. Not just an "oh I'm praying for you" text, but tell them what specifically you're praying for them. I have a friend who does this on a weekly basis and she encourages me SO much with every text she sends.
2. Get a meal with someone.
When you get a meal with someone, you have a solid 30 minutes to an hour to love on that person and encourage them. If it's a younger girl/guy, mentor them. Help them through their challenges. Read scripture with them. Jesus' most important acts in ministry were centered around meals.
3. Write a note.
put it in their room, on their desk, in their school mailbox, etc. Words of encouragement are something to be cherished. I keep every letter people send me and every note people write me. On days I am feeling unworthy or worthless, I'll look at them and feel refreshed.
4. Give a gift.
Now, I'm not saying go and buy the most expensive thing you can think of, but seriously, a pack of Oreos on a stressful test day makes a whole world of difference
5. HUG PEOPLE!
I need hugs, you need hugs. We all need them. It's scientifically proven that we need hugs.
6. Compliment their unique gifts.
If you see that one of your friends has a real gift for working with children, tell them how cool you think it is that God has given them that gift and how talented they are.
7. Social Media.
This isn't a popularity contest. However, some of my friends have begun to post every week about their friends and why they mean so much to them. Even though a lot of us look to social media to get affirmation in likes and followers, having someone post specifically about you and why they love you seriously makes your day.
8. Show Up!
If your friend has an event or game that you know is important to them, show up and be there to cheer them on.
Through all of these ways and more you can be Jesus to other people and lead others to know and love him more. When we serve others, we are following in the footsteps of our Savior. Shoutout to my BCM people for showing me how to encourage and how to love others so well.
