WHAT THIS MEANS:
Some people are life-givers, some are life-takers.
"Are you a giver or a taker? Some people are so emotionally bankrupt that they suck every ounce of life and energy out of you in a matter of minutes. Are you that person? On the other hand, there are those rare souls who seem to emanate an almost visible light of joy, whose affection and genuine caring are an instant salve to troubled minds. Are you that person?"
"There is one source of life: Jesus. When all of your actions and words are anchored in his life, then you are a carrier of that life and become life to all you encounter. How powerful your relationships then become!
What if you prayed and asked God for a word of encouragement for a friend before you saw them? Wow, how life-giving that would be! As a godly rebel, this is your destiny."
(The above thoughts come from The New Rebellion Handbook)
The Bible says:
My [Jesus] purpose is to give life in all its fullness. (John 10:10)
My [Jesus] purpose is to give life in all its fullness. (John 10:10)
The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. (Prov. 27:9)
So encourage each other and build each other up (1 Thes. 5:11)
ACTION:
1. Choose one person today to encourage and build up. Go out of your way to invest in them. Be a life-giver.
2. Reflect on the past couple of days. When were you a life-giver? When were you a life-taker?
PRAY: Ask God to make you more sensitive to the needs of others, to help you listen, and to give you words that build up, not tear down. Ask God to completely immerse you in his love, and in the life that he gives, that you might have what you need from him to be a life-giver to others.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(these are intended to help get discussion started - please do not feel confined to these questions: comment as you like!)
How did it feel to encourage someone else today? Is it hard to be a life-giver? Is it ok to be a Christian and be a life-taker? Why or why not?
How did it feel to encourage someone else today? Is it hard to be a life-giver? Is it ok to be a Christian and be a life-taker? Why or why not?
because i am reading this late at night i have yet to encourage someone that is awake. but, i think it is an extremely hard to be a life-giver. yes, i believe i am encouraging in my own way, but to be cheerful when i don't want to be, not so much. i can try, but to be that radiant person they described seems out of my league. that's something i need to work at. and about being a life taker...personally, i think that being too negative is a turn off. and as christians if we are the life-takers, just think of how many potential followers we are scaring away by having that kind of attitude. it almost sounds like a big attitude re-adjustment party :)
ReplyDelete