"You can do it!" I still remember those loud words yelled out to me years ago, and I have never forgotten the effect they had on me.
We were at a church picnic, and one of the activities was a ladies' softball game. I hated sports and was never good at them. But my motto in life that I have tried to live by is "take part and be supportive"—even of a picnic softball game.
I was not bad at batting. It was catching and throwing the ball that were my downfall. If I threw the ball, it seemed to just drop in front of me. So I hated the outfield!
Well, it was time for our team to go to the outfield. I grabbed the glove and took a position as far out into the field as I could get. Glove in hand, I was praying fervently, asking God, "Please don't let that ball come in my direction!"
I thought I was safe, because I had gone out into the field as far as I could go. No one will hit the ball out here, I told myself.
Well, the unthinkable happened! I could hear the bat crack and to my surprise the ball was headed in my direction, whizzing past the other outfielders. All I could do was open up my glove and hope for the best. Then, all of a sudden, I heard this loud voice from the crowd saying, "You can do it!" Those words gave me the courage to reach out and catch that ball. I've never forgotten that experience.
The power of encouragement should never be underestimated. We all need it, and we all need to give it in order to make it in this life. While it is easy to find fault with one another, encouragement is often more needed.
Jesus Christ said: "For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me... Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me" (Matthew 25:35-40).
One of the greatest services you can give in the Church is to be an encourager. Encourage a fellow worker, a spouse, a child or another Church member. God commands us to do it! Hebrews 10:24 says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." And 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says to "encourage one another and build each other up" (New International Version).
It doesn't take much time, but the results can be amazing! Consider what it did for me in that outfield!
