Too many professing believers have given up on God. They’ve dropped the ball.
•Many because they were never encouraged.
(Gregory Dawson (SC.com) Ben Hooper was born several decades ago as an illegitimate child who never knew his dad. As a result, he was constantly taunted by classmates. When he was 12 y.o, a new preacher came to town (fire and brimstone). The preacher both scared and fascinated him. He would slip in late and leave early so as to not get caught and harassed. One Sunday, he didn’t make it out in time.
“I could feel every eye in the church on me. Just about the time I got to the door I felt a big hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see the preacher looking down on me. He said, ‘Well young man, I see a resemblance in you. You look a lot like... Why you’re the son of.. the son of...’ I cringed and figured here it comes. And then he said, “Why you’re a son of God!” And slapping me on my bottom he added, “Now go out and collect your inheritance.” That was the most important single sentence ever said to me.”
That young boy grew up to become a 2 term governor of Tennessee.
When’s the last time you encouraged someone enough to really make their day?
Mark Brunner (SC.com) “Encouragement and praise is like a boomerang; the more you give it, the more it wants to return.”