Applying the Remedy for Discouragement

Do you ever feel discouraged? Maybe the special meal you planned didn’t turn out as expected. Or the diet you’ve tried hasn’t produced the results you wanted. Or just when you thought you were getting your finances in order, an emergency threw your budget out of whack. 

Perhaps the source of your discouragement is more profound: After years of striving to be the perfect parent, following advice from all the ‘experts,’ a headstrong teenager has you worrying well into the night. Where did you go wrong? Or after watching too much news on TV, the current state of the world has your head spinning, knowing there’s absolutely nothing you can do to fix it.

 

Reasons for being discouraged come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes no matter how hard we try we can’t seem to overcome those feelings. By definition, discouragement means to lack encouragement. This is where we can step up to help one another. 

 

The anonymous writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews understood this, because he wrote one of the Bible’s most powerful passages about applying the remedy for discouragement: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…” (Hebrews 10:23-25). 

 

There’s a lot packed into those three verses. We find it’s not a matter of, “Suck it up! Things will get better. Just be positive.” No, the primary reason we can feel encouraged – to have hope – is because of God and His character. He’s ever-faithful, doesn’t fall asleep on the job, and is busily at work, even when we can’t see exactly what He’s doing. He’s the source of confident hope, no ‘hope-so,’ wishful thinking.

 

Next, I like the phrase, “spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” When I was a boy, I spent many hours watching cowboy shows – Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Wild Bill Hickok, the Long Ranger. They’d ride about proudly on their “trusty steeds,” and when immediate action was required, would spur their horses into action.

 

Encouragement should work the same way. It’s not about engaging in a mutual self-pity party, commiserating about how bad things are. It’s prodding or ‘spurring’ one another into action, acting on the hope and trust we have in the God who in Jeremiah 29:11 says, “… I know the plans I have for you…plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.”

 

Circumstances might not change or improve immediately, but instead of acting like turtles and retreating into our shells we can continue moving forward, assured the Lord hasn’t forgotten about us.

 

Then there’s the part about “meeting together” to encourage one another. This life, as I’ve stated before, isn’t about mimicking the aforementioned Lone Ranger, living a life of isolation. We need one another, one day being the recipient of encouragement and another day being the one who offers it.

 

While it doesn’t use the word ‘encouragement,’ Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 addresses this strongly: 

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

 

Where do we find encouragement? Where can we give it? It might be a close friendship in which two people are always there for each other; whenever there’s a need the other promises, “I’ve got your back.” It might be a personal accountability group, a handful of folks who don’t exchange pleasantries but are willing to ask tough questions when needed, along with offering timely help and support. Or it could be colleagues at work, ready to assist one another when workloads become too heavy or demanding.

 

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Barnabas, who’s introduced in the 4^th chapter of the book of Acts. His given name, we’re told, was Joseph. But he earned the nickname Barnabas, literally Bar-Nabas – “son of encouragement.” 

 

His very first act in the Scriptures was to sell a field and donate the entire proceeds to the work of the apostles, who had been commissioned to carry on Jesus’ work after He ascended to heaven. What a way to let the Lord’s closest followers know he believed in them and wanted to support what they were doing.

 

But his greatest moment of encouragement was when he came alongside Saul of Tarsus, after the one-time persecutor of Christians had encountered Jesus Christ while heading to Damascus, planning to carry out more mayhem. Saul – later renamed Paul – experienced a miraculous transformation, but the apostles weren’t buying it. We’re told, “…he tried to join the disciples, but they were afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple” (Acts 9:26).

 

In stepped Barnabas, who obviously spent considerable time with Saul to hear him out. Barnabas boldly stood up for the new believer, knowing his own reputation was on the line. Probably with reluctance the apostles allowed Saul to remain with them, and he proved to be a bold witness for Christ. Can you imagine how encouraging it must have been for Saul to have Barnabas vouch for his transformed life?

 

Their story doesn’t end there, but it’s a glowing example of the powerful impact of one person offering encouragement to another. Through the power of Christ, we can do the same. God might not send another apostle Paul our way, but even a brief time spent with a person needing a kind word or a generous gesture can have more impact than we could imagine. And we’ll discover that by encouraging others, we’ll be encouraging ourselves.

Legacy: Much More Than an Inheritance

Recently I engaged in a discussion with a group of friends about what it means to leave a legacy. One person asked about the difference between a legacy and an inheritance. This prompted me to do a bit of research, uncovering four words that have related but distinctly different meanings.

The first is heredity, which is the passing on genetically of physical and/or mental traits or characteristics from one generation to the next. We have virtually no control over this, other than perhaps choosing the mate with whom we will have children. In terms of our genes, we’re a product of what our parents pass along to us physiologically.

 

The second is heritage, the unique culture, traditions, language and other social attributes shared by a particular society or group of people. This might include nationality, but it also relates to the specific environment in which we live and grow up. The folks I was speaking with all were Korean-Americans, so in some respects their heritage was very different from my Hungarian-American background.

 

Third on the list is inheritance, sometimes used interchangeably with legacy, but the terms definitely don’t mean the same thing. An inheritance is something you give or leave to an individual or group of people, something of material value, usually money or tangible possessions. It can be invested and increase in value over time, but it also can be squandered and easily lost.

 

Lastly, we have Legacy. An inheritance might be part of one’s legacy, but there’s much more to leaving a positive, enduring legacy than bestowing one’s earthly possessions to heirs. I would compare one’s legacy to the impact of a pebble or rock into a pond, creating outward-radiating ripples. Some rocks cause greater ripples than others – and it’s the same with legacies. Some radiate farther and for a longer time.

 

Years ago, I worked with a non-profit called Leaders Legacy which followed the motto, “Developing Great Leaders That Develop Great Leaders.” Our conviction was that the mark of a truly effective leader is not what happens while he or she is present, but what remains after they’re gone, whether that’s due to changing jobs, retirement or death.

 

If an enterprise or its mission continues to thrive and even grow after the founder leaves, that individual has left a meaningful, enduring legacy. However, if the company and its work collapse like a house of cards once the leader is gone, that’s not much of a legacy.

 

In looking for an example of a positive, enduring legacy, Chick-fil-A would be a good place to start. Years ago, I had the opportunity to interview the company’s founder, Truett Cathy. I remember him saying that when he started the business in Hapeville, Georgia, they regularly closed on Sundays. He quipped, “It’s not that we were all that religious, but that we were all that tired.”

 

Cathy passed away in 2014, but Chick-fil-A continues to be one of the most popular, well-respected food service businesses in the world. Their reputation for quality food, concern for customers, treatment of employees and overall philosophy and values remains strong. This is what leaving a positive, lasting legacy is all about.

 

But we don’t have to be a Truett Cathy, a wealthy philanthropist, inventor or groundbreaking scientist to establish an enduring, even eternal legacy. If we’re parents, we can endeavor to raise children of good character, who are hard-working, responsible, grow to love the Lord and use their gifts and talents to serve Him and others. We also can invest in the lives of others in a number of different ways, always seeking to represent Christ and point them to Him.

 

In 2 Timothy 2:2, the apostle Paul described what an eternal, multi-generational legacy can look like. He exhorted his young protégé, Timothy, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” That’s four generations of people – Paul, Timothy, “reliable men” and “others” – following Jesus and endeavoring to introduce Him to others. You think that would make a difference?

 

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Barnabas. After the conversion of Saul, the zealous Pharisee who had devoted his life to persecuting Jesus’ followers, we’re told, “When [Paul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles…” (Acts 9:26-27). 

 

Everyone else wanted nothing to do with the one-time enemy of the faith. Barnabas risked his reputation, getting to know Saul and learning the story of his life-altering encounter with Christ enroute to Damascus, and stood up for him. This “Saul,” of course, became the apostle Paul, who not only became an early Church leader but also penned much of the New Testament.

 

Barnabas’ story doesn’t end there. After accompanying Paul on several missionary journeys, serving as his spiritual mentor, the two had a serious disagreement about John Mark, who had abandoned Paul and Barnabas during one of their earlier journeys. Because of this, Paul had written him off as unfaithful, unworthy of being part of their company. 

 

When they resolved to return to towns where they had preached, Barnabas wanted to bring Mark back into the fold, “but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work” (Acts 15:37-38). We don’t know why Mark left them, but Paul didn’t want to waste his time with people he perceived as slackers.

 

Then we read, “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left” (Acts 15:39-40). This seemingly tragic schism between the two stalwarts of the faith has a happy ending, however. In 2 Timothy 4:11 Paul writes – with no mention of Barnabas – “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” This same Mark became the writer of one of the four gospels, the Gospel of Mark.

 

While Barnabas didn’t enjoy the celebrity status of other New Testament leaders, he nevertheless established a legacy we’re still benefiting from today through two fellows named Paul and Mark.

 

This raises the question: What kind of legacy are we creating? What will remain after we’re gone from the scene? How wide a ripple in the pond will we have made? Whether we’re young or old, it’s never too early or too late to start forging a lasting – even eternal – legacy.

Encouragement: Priceless Gift That Costs Little

Have you gotten over election campaign fatigue yet? Shortly before the Presidential election, a retailer told me sales were markedly down – seems the American public was simply worn out by the overwhelmingly negative campaigning. Feelings of widespread discouragement had set it, to the extent that people lacked even the initiative to go out and buy stuff!

But it doesn’t take rancorous rhetoric, or even the media’s fixation on accentuating the negative, to feel discouraged. Challenges at work can drag us down. Financial pressures – particularly at a time when TV commercials are urging us to give lavishly during the Christmas season – can easily keep our smiles turned upside-down. Sometimes we feel like the person working out on a treadmill or exercise bike who’s going no place really fast.

So as we’re pondering our Christmas lists, wondering what’s the best gift for Aunt Susie, Uncle George or cherished friends, perhaps we should consider giving a gift that’s priceless, yet in reality would cost us very little: Encouragement.

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Barnabas, whom we meet for the first time in Acts 4. We’re told about “Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement)…having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:36-37).

It doesn’t take long to discover why this fellow deserved the “Son of Encouragement” nickname. As the previous passage points out, he was generous, a wholehearted giver who was eager to support the early Church.

Later we learn that after the conversion of Saul, the formerly zealous persecutor of Jesus’ followers, it was Barnabas who took the risk of coming alongside the Pharisee who had literally seen the light. Barnabas became a mentor for Saul, whose name was later changed to Paul, and they joined in several miraculous missionary journeys.

When they parted ways, it actually was because Barnabas was continuing to encourage. This time it was his nephew, John Mark, whom Paul had written off after the young man had deserted their mission, perhaps struggling with a case of homesickness. Years later, without mentioning Barnabas and his resolve to give his relative the benefit of the doubt, Paul wrote to his own protégé, Timothy, “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).

Can you imagine the impact it had, first on Saul and much later John Mark, to hear Barnabas say, despite evidence to the contrary, “I believe in you”?

We don’t have to be mind-readers or equipped with extraordinary powers of observation to recognize that many people around us are weighed down by discouragement. Whether it’s the widespread malaise that seems to afflict the world around us, or very personal struggles, lots of folks are discouraged. Do they need to go to professional counselors, or make a series of appointments with psychologists? Or get prescriptions for mood-shifting medications?

For some, that might be the case. But for most of us, simple words of encouragement or kind gestures that say “I care” and “I’m here for you” are enough to lift spirits and enable them to recapture the “merry” usually associated with this Christmas season.

With email, texting and instant messaging, few people actually write notes anymore. So why not send one to someone who could use a lift? Not only will they become heartened to know they’re not alone, but also might be so shocked to receive an old-fashioned pen-to-paper note that they’ll even forget what had them so discouraged.

Perhaps as you’re looking past Christmas and pondering goals or resolutions for the New Year, you might make coming alongside someone desperately in need of encouragement a practical and, as I noted, very inexpensive gift. All it would take would be a little time, a bit of energy, and a willingness to let him or her feel important, that they matter, and offer assurance that better days lie ahead.

In whose life would God like to use you as a Barnabas, an encourager, in the coming days? You might not have to look far. That person might be right in front of you at work, in your church, your neighborhood, or even in your home. It’s the gift that fits any budget.

Brain Power: Separate, or Shared?

One of the most profound statements I ever heard is, “Not one of us is as smart as all of us.” Ponder that for a moment.

Today we’re inclined to celebrate independence and individuality, and on the surface there’s nothing wrong with that. Every one of us is unique and there’s no reason we should be squeezed into someone else’s mold. However, we tend to ignore, overlook or underestimate the power of synergy, the collective impact of complementary gifts and talents, intelligence and different points of view.

I saw this demonstrated repeatedly during my years as a newspaper and magazine editor. Writers, editors, photographers and designers all contributed their parts for producing each publication – every time the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. The finished product was always better than I could have imagined, especially if I had tried to do it all myself – or if only people with skill sets matching mine had been involved.

Woodrow Wilson, the 28^th President of the United States, apparently had found this to be true as well. He stated, “I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow.” I agree. Long ago I concluded I don’t know it all – although occasionally I might act as if I think otherwise. But it’s true. None of us knows it all, or even close. So I’ve been grateful for many opportunities to bounce ideas off others and get their perspectives, as well as reap some of the wisdom and experience of people who’ve wrestled with the same issues that I have.

A spiritual principle behind this can be traced to the beginnings of creation. When God declared, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18), He wasn’t referring just to companionship. Throughout the Scriptures we see people working in tandem. Some of the greatest failures recorded in the Bible involved people who determined to operate in isolation. Cain, who killed his brother Abel in a fit of jealousy, King Saul, and Judas Iscariot are just three case studies.

To avoid the often-tragic consequences of wrong thinking and poor decision-making in solitude, we’re encouraged to do as President Wilson suggested: “use all the brains…that I can borrow.” Proverbs 27:9 states it this way: “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.”

A bit later in the same chapter we find this principle presented from a slightly different angle: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). I’ve found this particularly important for spiritual growth – often called discipling, discipleship, or even mentoring.

Early in my life I struggled with trying to understand how to apply biblical teachings and integrate my faith into my everyday life, especially at work. Thankfully over the years I encountered many people who faithfully strived to follow Jesus’ admonition to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). They became living examples of faith in action.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus constantly surrounded Himself with other people, prompting many lively interactions. Then Barnabas was instrumental in the life of the apostle Paul after his conversion and during the early years of his spiritual growth and ministry. Paul wrote of how highly he valued not only camaraderie, but also mutual support and encouragement from other men like Silas, Timothy, and Epaphroditus.

He even commended John Mark, Barnabas’ cousin, whom at one time had been written off as being unworthy to be involved in the work of the Gospel. Later Paul welcomed Mark back into the fellowship. “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry”  (2 Timothy 4:11). This one-time outcast proceeded to become the author of the gospel of Mark.

In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul emphasized the importance of hanging out with like-minded people and passing along what was learned in the process: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

So whether we’re collaborating with colleagues at work, undertaking a project at home or in the neighborhood, or trying to resolve a personal challenge, it’s wise to always remember that not one of us is as smart as all of us. It’s not a sin to pool brainpower.

Being Inspired to Be What We Could Be

Do you have someone who has inspired you - or is inspiring
you - to become all that you would like to be?

A quote recently hit home with me: “Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I’ve not read much of Emerson’s writings, but isn’t that true? We all have a vision for what we could be, but isn’t it great when – or if – we have someone who affirms what we believe about ourselves or even better, sees something in us that we don’t?

Over the years I’ve been fortunate to have several people who filled that role for me. There was my fourth-grade teacher who told my mother at a PTA meeting that I was “college material.” Since no one in my family had ever gone to college, these words definitely cast a vision for myself that I didn’t have before. During my freshman year in college, an English instructor commended me on my writing ability and urged me to pursue it, even suggesting I enter writing contests – one of which I won.

My uncle, Joe Tamasy, encouraged and challenged me to always reach beyond my comfort zone to try and learn new things. He taught me not to be afraid to fail, helping me to realize failure is sometimes the surest path to success.

More than 30 years ago, after I was hired to become editor and publications director for CBMC, my boss presented my psychological profile that had been prepared while I was a candidate for the job. The evaluation called me a “diamond in the rough,” stating if they were willing to take a risk in hiring me, despite a lack of experience in magazine and book writing – part of my job description – I could prove to be a prized employee. My boss, in hiring me, took that risk and opened the door to many opportunities for me.

And about 13 years ago my friend, Dave Stoddard, pointed out although I’d been a professional journalist for 30 years, he still saw untapped potential in me. He offered, “if you need a place where you can flourish and become all God wants you to be, we have a place for you.”

Who has been that person for you? Have you ever had someone recognize something in you that until then you weren’t even sure was there – or were reluctant to acknowledge for fear of being mistaken?

Maybe it’s for that reason one of my favorite personalities in the Bible is Barnabas. After the conversion of Saul, who changed from being a fierce foe of followers of Christ to one of His more dedicated followers, Jesus’ disciples were reluctant to embrace this radical convert. But Barnabas saw something in this man, later to become known as the apostle Paul, author of many letters in the New Testament. Acting contrary to popular opinion, Barnabas befriended Saul, became his mentor, and they spent years together in fruitful ministry.

Then Paul and Barnabas had a dispute over John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin, who had bailed midway through one of their missionary journeys. Paul labeled John Mark a quitter, someone that lacked the necessary commitment to the cause. Barnabas, however, elected to part ways with Paul and stick by his cousin, again seeing something in him apparently no one else saw.

Years later Paul wrote: “My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him” (Colossians 4:10), and “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11). While Paul didn’t admit to misjudging Mark, he obviously had a change of heart – likely because Barnabas took the time and made the effort to inspire Mark to become what he knew he could be.

As it says in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

If you’ve never had someone like that in your life, a person who has inspired you to raise your sights higher, I hope God brings one to you soon. And if you have had someone like that, how about “paying forward” – become that person for someone else. You won’t regret it.