If your gift is to encourage then encourage!

I was recently at the park with all 4 of my children.  Everyone was having a great time!  Lijah, the 3 year old wanted to go across the monkey bars.  I had my hands full holding baby Ledjer.  My children always jump in and help when needed, especially with their younger siblings.  It is something they have been taught to do. (Teaching our children to help is an entire post of it's own.)  Lilli told Lijah she would help him cross the monkey bars.  I stood back and watched them work together.  What I noticed the most was how encouraging Lilli was to Lijah.  She was saying, "You can do it!" and "Just a little farther."  When he was done, she was praising him for doing such a great job.  He may have been able to cross them without her words of affirmation, but I'm not sure that he would have felt as excited and confident to have gone again.

My children and I  have been memorizing a passage from the Bible, Romans chapter 12.  We just about have the entire thing memorized.  It's full of wisdom on how to live and think about yourself and others in view of your own relationship with Jesus Christ.  One things thing the author spends a lot of time talking about is the fact that all believers have gifts that they should be using.  One of the gifts it mentions is encouragement.

Romans 12:6-8 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching let him teach; if it is encouraging , let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of other let him give generously; if it leadership let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

My gift is encouragement.  I love doing it in my home, in my local church and in my Mary Kay organization.  I saw my daughter encouraging her brother in the park and it made me wonder, does she have the gift of encouragement as well? I'm now  asking God to show me if it is one of her gifts. If so, then I want him to teach me how to spur her on in that area and to show me how to enable her  to use her giftedness.

What about you?  Are you a member of the body that is referred to in Romans 12? All Christ followers are referred to as the body.  If you are a member of the body than you have specific gifts that you have been called to use. When you are using your gifts the way the Creator intended for you to use them, you will know it and you will never want to stop!  I encourage you today to search the scriptures and seek the Father as he reveals to you how to live out your giftedness.