The Sacred Call to Encourage by Alicia Bowman

There is a quiet imperative tucked away inside the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the people of Thessalonica that seems so simple, it is easy to overlook its depth.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV). 

At first glance, it seems too small: offer a smile, a quick nod of the head, a pat on the back, a few kind gestures. Yet if we examine Paul's words more closely, especially through a Wesleyan lens, we see that encouragement is nothing short of sacred work. Its impact is far more lasting than we realize.

Who Really Benefits?

We might assume that encouragement just blesses the person who is on the receiving end–the waitress at the end of a long shift, the tired healthcare worker who hasn’t had a break, the discouraged new mom who wonders if she is doing everything right, the widow who needs to feel seen. Kind words spoken to the discouraged can be life-giving water for weary souls. The effects of being encouraged can last a lifetime.

I’ve come to realize that encouragement does just as much for the encourager as for the person who is being encouraged. When we step outside our own worries and hectic schedules to lift someone else up, our hearts are also lifted. In affirming God’s grace in others, we are reminded of His grace in our own lives. When we encourage someone else, we aren’t pouring out of our cup. Encouragement doesn’t empty us; it fills us.

Why It Matters?

Grace is not only a gift we receive, it is a calling that we live out in community. John Wesley spoke about “watching over one another in love,” which is deeply connected to the holy habit of encouragement. It keeps our hearts soft, our churches unified, and reminds us to love one another as Christ loved us.