Fifteen years ago or more, I began sending thank you cards as encouragements. I wasn’t thanking people for something they did for me or bought for me – that’s just common courtesy; polite manners which most of us practice - but rather what I knew about them or saw them doing. I purchased blank cards, wrote a thank you, and mailed them. Recipients were often volunteers. For example; I knew the amount of time and work the church music director put into the music ministry and to encourage her I thanked her for her dedication and the wonderful songs she selected. Another card was sent to a church board member who had stepped down after some time of serving. Now I can’t remember what I wrote but I did keep the note he gave me; “You will never know how much that did for me. Thank you.” Like a boomerang, my encouragement to him came back to encourage me! Wow! God knows what makes us happy that’s why He gave us the Golden Rule. When we encourage others, we are encouraged as well. Amazing how that works!
About ten years ago, I got back to working on my art; drawing flowers on greeting cards in pen and ink, and some in coloured pencil. I’ve sold a few and some I’ve mailed to people with an encouraging message written inside. And again, I experienced the boomerang effect.
I Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to “encourage each other and edify (build up) one another.” Many do not practice building others up, instead they practice tearing down others. We see and hear much of the negative actions of society. Companies use commercials to put down other company’s products or services instead of simply stating the quality of a product or benefits of a service being advertised. Politicians criticize and point accusing fingers at each other instead of simply stating the good they will do or the benefits of their proposals.
Sadly, it is easy to get drawn into a damaging way of speaking. The only thing that type of speech builds up is strife. Both the receiver and the sender are hurt. The boomerang effect is felt with uplifting words and words that tear down.
Sometimes we just miss an opportunity to give someone a word of cheer or a little support because we are engrossed in our work or life; charging towards our goals. I know I’ve missed occasions when I should have said something.
Encouraging others is an important action, one which benefits the receiver as well as the giver. That little organ, the tongue, certainly is powerful. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” I’ll try to practice life and healing with that organ as Proverbs 15:4 says, “A wholesome (healing) tongue is a tree of life…”. Others will be up-lifted and so will I. That’s the boomerang effect. Feels great!
Shirley, I've often experienced that boomerang effect when I reached out to encourage someone else -- how often it came back and encouraged me too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for a lovely post, Shirley.
Thank you, Shirley, for this excellent and interesting reminder. I have done this more in the past than I have recently, so I am grateful for your message, which is well taken.
ReplyDeleteThank you Shirley for your reminder of how powerful our words can really be and the boomerang and ripple effect that they can have in our lives and others.
ReplyDeleteYour boomerang concept is right on, and I love that you send cards with your art work-I too like to craft cards and use them. Thank you for this encouraging post.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cards! And message. Our differences shouldn't stop us from 'spurring' one another along, as Paul teaches too, to the early church of people from many different cultures and social economic conditions. It's a teaching that never loses relevance.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, Shirley. Your encouragements are truly a gift to others that return to bless you.
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