Random Acts Of Encouragement

Recently on the news the story was told of two women who went into a Tim Horton's, bought many doughnuts and cups of coffee and began to give them out to the next people who came in as a "random act of kindness."  Other stories are told of people who pay for the next person's gas at the gas pump or the dinner tab at a restaurant.  These are people who are giving and sharing just to be generous or respond to something lovely that's been done for them. 

In the same newscast we also hear stories of people who are complaining and condemning others for what they did or didn't do.  It sometimes seems that no one can get it right.  What if we were to change our perspective, seek out the good, encourage others in goodness and start a cycle of "random acts of encouragement".  What if we were to take the ordinary circumstances of our day and let them be opportunities to bless and lift up others with our appreciation and our words? 

If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.  (Galatians 6:3, 10 NLT)

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”  (John 13:34-35 NLT)

Encouragement can be offered in a variety of ways: a word, a note, a prayer, a phone call, a visit, a challenge, a “random act of kindness”, refraining from reacting, setting and holding to personal boundaries, providing meeting information, or even a challenge to look at some behavior. We can be a part of a support network for others in the same way that we have been supported in our recovery. We will experience encouragement ourselves as we offer it to others.

In our life with God in recovery today, God invites us to love others as we have been loved. Love goes beyond mere words. Love helps others find and apply solutions to problems. Love finds a way to support others in healthy change and healthy actions. Love encourages one another every step of the way.

©2014 Partners in Hope
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