The Power Of Championing Others
John 15:12-13 –
‘My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’
1 Thessalonians 5:11 –
‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing’
These verses make it so clear that loving one another isn’t an option, it’s essential. Building each other up is a fundamental part of what it means to follow Jesus.
But this isn’t always easy...
We (Rachel and Sophie) do a LOT together – work together, live together and generally do life together. A few weeks ago, we realised we’d become too comfortable around one another and had stopped making any effort to speak kindly or build each other up. Thankfully we noticed something didn’t feel right and had an open conversation about the way we both felt.
It’s so easy to become complacent, short-tempered or unloving with the people that you’re always around or have known for a long time. Championing others has to be something that we’re intentional about. People often say ‘it’s the people who are closest to you who have to deal with the worst of you’ but this just doesn’t seem right! Why isn’t it that the people you love the most are those that you praise, encourage and speak kindly to the most? This makes way more sense to us!
We want to be a church that brings LIFE and LIGHT through our words and actions. By learning to champion those who are closest to us, we’ll create healthy habits which will make it easier to show God’s love to those who we don’t know as well.
So, how can we start to champion each other more intentionally?
Reflect on the relationship – ask yourself how you’ve been speaking to that person. When was the last time you encouraged them?
Memorise a verse – hold onto a verse which will encourage you to speak lovingly. Bring this verse to mind and let it shape how you speak.
Practise – the more you encourage those around you, the more natural it will become! Sometimes you may have to force yourself to do it, but slowly it’ll become a habit.
Prayer – Lord, help me to reflect on my relationships. Direct me to scripture which will encourage me to speak kindly to other people, especially the ones I’m closest to. Let your Word shape how I speak.