Our Daily Bread

BE a BIDDA: "BELIEVE, INSPIRE, DREAM, DO ACHIEVE"

Lead By: Risa Certeza
Present: Rhea Concepcion, Marecho Conde & Marjorie Miranda

The Gift of Encouragement December 9, 2016

Joseph . . . whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.—Acts 4:36–37 An old Merle Haggard song, “If We Make It Through December,” tells the story of a man laid off from his factory job with no money to buy Christmas gifts for his little girl. Although December is supposed to be a happy time of year, his life seems dark and cold. Discouragement is not unique to December, but it can be amplified then. Our expectations may be higher, our sadness deeper. A little encouragement can go a long way. Joseph, a man from Cyprus, was among the early followers of Jesus. The apostles called him Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement.” We meet him in Acts 4:36-37 when he sold a piece of property and donated the money to help other believers in need. Later, we read that the disciples were afraid of Saul (Acts 9:26). “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles” (v. 27). Saul, later called Paul, had formerly been trying to kill the believers, but Barnabas defended him as a man transformed by Christ. All around us are people longing to be encouraged. A timely word, a phone call, or a prayer can bolster their faith in Jesus. The generosity and support of Barnabas demonstrate what it means to be a son or daughter of encouragement. That may be the greatest gift we can give to others this Christmas. —David McCasland Thank You, Lord, for the gift of encouragement. May we encourage others as they have encouraged us. Encouragement may be the greatest gift we give this Christmas.

Things Learned:

A person possessing the gift of encouragement has a unique ability to help others gain a positive emotional and spiritual perspective on their circumstances. Those with the gift of Encouragement are people who find the positive in any situation. For them, “the glass is always half full”. They are at their best when they can motivate the assembly of Christ Followers to persevere in the struggle against sin and to strive for the accomplishment of God’s mission for the Church. The word Encouragement means “to instill courage into another person”.