InfluencersSample

Cheering on people we like is easy. Of course, we love to celebrate our friends! Their wins feel like our wins, especially because we want the best for them. But Scripture tells us that we’re not just called to cheer on our friends. We’re not just called to encourage those that we get along with or that we choose to spend our time around. Instead, Jesus requires us to love and encourage everyone. This includes people who may have had a less-than-perfect past, people who have let us down, and even people who have hurt our feelings along the way. When we know of someone’s mistakes, especially if those mistakes affected us negatively in any way, it can be really hard to want good things for them. Thankfully, we have the help of the Holy Spirit to get us there. God’s Spirit works in us to help us come to a place we can truly rejoice and celebrate others. And who knows? Our ability to celebrate could be the thing that changes their life for the better!

Is there a person in your life who has been challenging to celebrate? Consider what you can do this week to encourage or celebrate them. What’s one small step you can make toward lifting them up? It could be as simple as praying for that person once a week or even making a choice to think positive thoughts when negative ones try to take over!