Encouragement For The Ordinary

A few years ago, I moved into a one-bedroom apartment with my sister. While shopping for home accessories/necessities, we stumbled upon an aisle of white boards, and my sister jokingly said, “We should have a chore chart!” In all seriousness, I thought the idea could alleviate arguments over cleaning responsibilities. So we picked one up.

When we got home and unwrapped the new chart, we found magnets to ‘star’ the chores completed, plus magnets to reward each other for doing a job well done. As silly as that may sound for two adult women, we created incentives like movies, manicures, and massages. There was a rule, though; one could not ‘star off’ their own chores or pat themselves on the back with ‘great job’ magnets and rewards… only the other person could cross off a chore on the chart when the job was noticed. And here’s what happened: Our little apartment was filled with so much encouragement, love, and joy in just doing the ordinary. The simplest of tasks, like washing dishes, would not only get a star for completing the task, but also a ‘job well done’ reward! We both would rush home to see if the other noticed a chore and handed out a reward… ha ha, yes, I’m in my 30’s 😉 The encouragement only grew from there, as we would write messages every morning/night on the bathroom mirror to express our love and joy for each other.

I learned a very important lesson during this time in my life: that the ordinary counts when it comes to encouragement! So often we save uplifting words/acts for the things we deem ‘big and out-of-the-ordinary,’ but what if we changed our view on the ordinary and saw them less as requirements and more like rewards? I think we’d experience just what my sister and I shared: an explosion of excitement and encouragement exuding from our hearts toward each other, where we just couldn’t wait to lift one another up.

I will confess that I’m not very good at encouraging others. It’s been a struggle from the way I was raised and transcended into failed relationships. But realizing this key truth: whether your gift is encouraging others or not, we are all called to encourage. If you’re not great at encouraging, maybe this starts with recognizing all the ways God encourages us. By absorbing His encouragement we receive daily from the word and Spirit that lives inside our hearts, we may be filled with even more to give others. We all come from an encouraging Father and, created in His image, we should strive to be more encouraging to one another, even for the ordinary things.

Romans 15:2-6 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.