The Gift of Encouragement
We all need encouragers in our lives, don’t we? Having just ONE person in your life who will speak encouraging words to you makes all the difference in the world. Have you noticed that there seems to be plenty of people who will readily put you down and a real shortage of people who will lift you up? Has it ever dawned on you to be the one who builds and lifts up?
As wives, we need to realize just how much we contribute to the atmosphere in our homes and marriages. Proverbs 14:1 says, “A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman tears hers down with her own hands.” That is a pretty strong Scripture.
Did I hear you say, ‘Just how can a woman tear down her own home, her own marriage, or her own husband?’ She does it with her actions and most often with her words. In The Path to Becoming a Proverbs 31 Wife, I share about how we as wives can build our homes, our marriages, and our men. I talk about one of the ways we can build our men – it is through our words.
Did I hear you say, ‘Just how can a woman tear down her own home, her own marriage, or her own husband?’ She does it with her actions and most often with her words. In The Path to Becoming a Proverbs 31 Wife, I share about how we as wives can build our homes, our marriages, and our men. I talk about one of the ways we can build our men – it is through our words.
We expect so much from our husbands, but do we ever stop to think about the kind of encouragement that they might need in order to be the kind of men that we want them to be? In order to walk in their role as our husbands, the leaders and high priests of our homes (along with many other things), they must possess the quality of mind and spirit that enables them to face tough challenges, difficulty, danger, fear, and pain. It is not in our best interest to tear down our husband’s spirit. Mental, moral strength and confidence is vital if he is ever going to be the kind of man that you need him to be. Take a moment and ask yourself, Are you your husband’s encourager?
The word encourage comes from the old French word encourager, meaning to make strong and to hearten. This word encourage in Proverbs 31:12 translates as to give support, confidence and hope to, uplift, cheer, promote, nurture, and strengthen. We can be either a great source of encouragement or the initiator of discouragement in our own homes. The word discourage actually means to “turn away” from courage. There are things that your husband will face that will cause him to want to give up, drop out, throw up his hands and quit. It is in these times that we are to examine and be mindful of the words we have been or will speak.
The Proverb 31 wife has developed a skill of knowing just what to say. She thinks before she speaks. Her words are wise words. Her tongue isn’t sharp. Her words aren’t cutting. They are kind. Her words have the power to comfort, soothe, and heal. Often her words reassure. Her words are a source of encouragement and strength. With her support, he can accomplish anything!
There are days when your husband needs you to be that comforting, encouraging voice that he comes home to. Is today that day? As the spring approaches and flowers will bloom, let’s try to give our husband the gift of encouragement and we will watch them thrive!
“The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry.” Proverbs 25:11 MSG
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