What Is Good … For ALL

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:15 HCSB  -See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
 
I write little notes for my son and put them in his lunchbox to encourage him throughout the school day. Recently during our ride home, he explained that one of his classmates had taken his note and threw it away! He wasn’t extremely upset but you could tell he was disappointed because the notes are something he really looks forward to and he keeps them. Being the Mama Bear that I am, I contacted his teacher to see if she was aware of the incident and make sure there was no misunderstanding. She stated that she would speak with both of them and find out what happened; she would get to the bottom of it and hold them both accountable for their part in the situation … or so we thought!

The next morning after I dropped my son off, I received a phone call from his teacher; and she was laughing! To all of our surprise, the other student had not thrown the note away! His mother asked him where the note was – he said he had folded it up, put it in his pocket and took it home. His mother felt SO bad! When she asked him why he took it home, he said because he liked it and that he took it home so that he could have something to encourage him too! He was actually treasuring it!! Us adults were ready to hear a different story. We had already thought ahead as to how we would respond and how we would have the kids ‘fix it’. But the Lord used this innocent moment to remind me of how quickly we jump to the wrong conclusion.

So often when we feel offended or someone catches us unarmed (Ephesians 6: 13-17), we may say or think or do something to ‘get them back’ or feel justified in defending ourselves. But what if we did the opposite – what if we prayed for them, encouraged them, said something that would cause them to want to do better, to be better? What if what we said or did caused them to believe in Jesus Christ and what He did for all of us on the Cross??

Encouragement goes a long, long way! You never know what your prayers, uplifting words or kind gestures can do to change another person’s day or another person’s life!

Prayer: Awesome Father, how blessed we are to have You in our lives! Not only do You love us (even when we are unlovable), but You choose to use us to encourage others in this journey of life. Help us remember that everyone You created needs encouragement that stems from YOUR love for all of us! Remind us that Your desire is that we not repay evil for evil, but pursue what is good – not just for us, but for one another, for ALL! In Jesus’ Name we always pray, AMEN!

(By Cassaundra Jackson)