Our lives are a witness

We are doing a bible study on Encouragement the last month. It has really had me thinking a lot. One, to make an effort to speak encouraging words to others, but also to think outside the box of encouragement. <p> One thing that has really been on my heart is being a different sort of a missionary. <p>I think churches have lots of ministry programs, when someone has a baby, people bring them dinner. They volunteer at pregnancy centers, donate food to the food pantry, help the poor people in other countries, and many other such worthy programs. It is all good, but sometimes i think we neglect the obvious.  <p> What about the young mother in your congregation that  looks really tired Sunday after Sunday? Do you ever offer to go and clean her bathrooms for her? <p> When you ask someone how they are doing, do you expect a real answer  or do you sigh when they start to tell you about how they really are, or  maybe not even wait for  the answer really.  I know some people you can reply with "Not so good." and they would say "That’s great!" because they did not really hear you. <p> Sometimes we want to do something great, something big, when really it is the little things sometimes that need to be done <p> It is when your mom is not feeling well and you wash up the dishes for her, you are doing a big thing, ministering for the Lord and encouraging another believer. <p> I cannot believe all the verses on encouragement in the bible and how many times in the NT especially we are commanded to encourage each other. <p> Think of all the ways that you can be an encouragement to someone you know. <p>Can you hold that fussy baby during church sometime, instead of thinking cross thoughts about parents who can’t keep their babies quiet? <p> Can you write a card when you are thinking of someone? <p> Can you, even if you are a busy young mom yourself, send an email to a friend and just say "Hi, i was thinking of you!" ? Sometimes that can really pick up someones day in a big way!<p>
These simple ways do not take much time, one day out of your life spent to visit with someone or 5 minutes to write the card, will add so much to someones life and you will be better for it. <p> If you laundry got put off or your living room is not spotless, what does it matter, if you made a difference for the better in someone else’s life. <p> So, this week, think outside the box, look for ways to be a missionary in different ways than you have thought of before. Think of how you can minister to someone that you never have before.