A thought by John C. Maxwell (2017-03-07) from his book, Encouragement Changes Everything: Bless and Be Blessed (Kindle Location 306-307). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
This is a good reminder, isn’t it?
John says, “Roman philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca observed, ‘Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.’ If you want to lift people up, do it daily.”
John goes on, “ENCOURAGERS KNOW THE LITTLE DIFFERENCE THAT SEPARATES HURTING AND HELPING. The little things you do every day have a greater impact on others than you might think. You hold the power to make another person’s life better or worse by the things you do today. Those closest to you—your spouse, children, or parents—are most affected by what you say and do. Use that power wisely.”
He then says, “ENCOURAGERS INITIATE THE POSITIVE IN A NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENT. IT’S ONE THING TO BE POSITIVE IN A POSITIVE OR NEUTRAL ENVIRONMENT. It’s another to be an instrument of change in a negative environment. Yet that’s what encouragers try to do. Sometimes that requires a kind word, other times it takes a servant’s action, and occasionally it calls for creativity. ENCOURAGERS UNDERSTAND LIFE IS NOT A DRESS REHEARSAL. Here’s a quote I’ve always loved: ‘I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.’ People who lift others don’t wait until tomorrow or some other ‘better’ day to help people. They act now!
“Everyone can become an encourager. You don’t have to be rich. You don’t have to be a genius. You don’t have to have it all together. All you have to do is care about people and initiate.”
So, let’s do it, let’s care about people and initiate. I can do that. You can too, can’t you?
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