Encourage: Early 15c., from Old French encoragier "make strong, hearten," from en- "make, put in" + corage "courage, heart.”
Yesterday, I scooped and wheel-barreled pea gravel from the two cubic-yard “mother lode” on my driveway, to the backyard where I refurbished the retaining edges, and dumped and spread the new gravel.
Load after load after load.
This was epic grunt work as my back attests this morning.
About 30% through the pile, my lovely wife appeared on the back porch with a tall, cool glass of water and a side order of exhortation.
Exhausted, I grabbed the cup and plopped in a chair near the fountain. Nothing has ever tasted as good as that glass of water on a day like yesterday.
Musings of an exhausted man
After Vicki went back inside, I sipped my cool water under the Carolina Blue Sky, mused about life, and sampled memories from the dustbin of my mind.
In one thought I drifted back into the workplace where I spent many years executing what were often “grunt work” tasks required by the mission of the moment during the dog days of my career.
Thank God for my wife!
Vicki was always there during the challenging seasons ready to offer me the spiritual equivalent of a cool glass of water to revive my soul: Encouragement.
Gimme whatcha got
Some people are pretty much self-contained. They don’t require much maintenance to stay on mission. They’re undaunted by the hubbub and hubris of daily life. They accept the task, complete the work, and then go home none the worse for wear.
And then there’s the rest of us.
We’re the people who need feedback, acknowledgment, or encouragement as we carry on day after day. Raises and bonuses help us pay the bills, but they don’t reach the heart—that inner sanctum that daily sustains us.
Metaphorically speaking
From a biological perspective, the heart muscle pumps life-sustaining blood to every part of the body. From the solar plexus to the tips of the fingers and toes, the impact of the heart is profound.
Scripture uses the term heart metaphorically to describe an inner chamber of the soul, where we exert sovereignty and live with the results. We can extend the metaphor to include a “throne” within the chamber where a king sits (initially, we are the king, but that throne belongs to Jesus).
Just as the literal heart muscle pumps blood and oxygen throughout our body, the inner heart infuses our life with intention and emotion—for better or worse. If our heart muscle is weak, our quality of life suffers. So, too, with the inner heart.
What does the Bible say?
The heart of mankind is a central focus in scripture, its condition and influence are portrayed both positively and negatively throughout the pages of the bible. Today let’s focus on one way the inner heart impacts a person’s life by looking at a well-known Proverb:
”A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.“
—Proverbs 15:13
Pretty straightforward. When we’re happy, we smile. When we’re sad, we frown. But we need to know what makes the “heart difference” described in this verse.
Heart care
In scripture, encouragement, comfort, and exhortation are often bundled as ways in which believers can hearten one another during difficult times, or in fulfilling a calling. Here is one example from the Apostle Paul:
”For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.“
—Romans 1:11-12
Paul wrote to Christians living in the hostile environment of Rome. They needed encouragement to lean into their faith amid a pagan hotbed of corruption, deceit, and darkness. Our time is not so different than theirs. Likewise, we need encouragement to shoulder our load on life’s journey.
Anyone can do it
We don’t have to be an Apostle to encourage someone. Yesterday, my wife lifted my heart when I was sinking into a morass of sweat and gravel. Her encouragement in the form of water and words got me through a long afternoon. And I will remember her example when it’s my turn to bring the water.
Encouragement truly is the Elixir of Life. It is a necessary thing both to give and receive. And like a cup of cold water to a laboring soul, I guarantee someone you know needs it today.