Dear Friends,
A group of frogs we're walking through a forest. and two of the
frogs fell into a pit. All the other frogs looked down and said, "You're as
good as dead. You'll never get out of that hole."
The two little frogs didn't want to stay there, and they kept
jumping and jumping and jumping, but they couldn't make their way out. One of
the frogs who was watching said. "You're going to die. You're going to
die. There is no way out."
His words were so discouraging that one of the frogs just gave up
and died, but the other frog would not give up. He kept jumping and jumping and
finally much to everyone's surprise, he jumped completely out of the pit.
The other frog said, "Didn't you hear us? We told you that
you couldn't get out of the pit." And the little frog said, "Oh,
I'm sorry. I'm hard of hearing. I thought you were cheering me on."
We live in a culture where there is an epidemic of discouragement.
Turn on the news, and no matter what station you listen to the broadcaster will
probably be sharing bad news-war in Ukraine, lack of baby formula, gas prices,
Covid, inflation recession-no wonder our nation's suicide rate has doubled
in a decade, and depression is at an all-time high.
According to one survey I read, depression among 14-17 years
old rose 60 percent in a decade, and more than half of Americans in general
feel left out and unappreciated.
Because there is so much bad news circulating, there exists a
desperate longing for good news. I think most all of us are eager to hear
some hopeful, positive, and encouraging news that will lift our spirts and give
us something to cheer about.
As believers you and I are those "Good News People in a
Bad News World." We can use our tongues to encourage and lift up
those who are discouraged and ready to give up. We can be those
cheerleaders that everyone loves to have around.
We can be encouragers. Encouragement starts with doing the small
things-just saying "thank you," "I appreciate you,"
"You did a great job."
The other day after church we had breakfast with some friends. As
we were eating, I was noticing this one server who was going out of
his way to perform his responsibilities. I never saw anyone clear tables so
quickly, or sweep the floor with such determination, or move with such haste.
After our bill was paid, I went back and found him, and I told him
how impressed I was with how hard he worked. I told him that I had spoken to
his employer and said to him that if I was hiring someone, I would want a
person like that on my team. You should have seen the beaming smile that
marked my new friend's face. He acted like he had never heard such words
before, and unfortunately, maybe he hadn't.
Mother Theresa was fond of saying, "Kind words are short and
easy to speak, but their echoes are endless."
Proverbs 25:11 reminds us that "A right word at the right
time is like precious gold set in silver."
Paul writes, "We are to encourage one another and build
others up." 1 Thess 5:11
"How curious that we spend more time
congratulating people who have succeeded than encouraging people who have
not." Neil deGrasse Tyson
Let's all be careful to take time to speak the kind of words that
lift others up. If we do, we might just discover a revolutionary cure for
discouragement.
Yours in faith and friendship,
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