Are you an attic person or a basement person? I don't mean where you physically live, but your attitude. If you live in the basement you are constantly feeling down, inferior and depressed. Attic people are joyful and excited about serving God. Wherever you live you will try to pull the people around you to come and join you there.
If you are a basement person you will be constantly down and trying to pull people down to your level. Attic people are the encouragers. They ones that are continually pulling people up and filling those around with joy and love.
Ultimately, it is God's desire that we are continually encouraging each person that we come in contact with.
Although this may be a silly visual, think about it for a moment. Do you spend your time in the basement or in the attic? As a tech director are you continually pulling your team down? When they leave your presence do they feel drained and empty? Or do you make an effort to build them up so they feel energized after they have spent time with you?
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. - Ephesians 4:29
We all know people who are foul and abusive. In fact, I bet you can remember very specific words and actions that you have experienced long ago that drag you down to this very day. Those discouraging words have a way of sticking with us. Fortunately encouraging words stick with us too. You can probably remember a time when you were down and someone gave you some simple kind words that gave you the strength to move forward.
Are you an encourager to those that are around you? The word 'encourage' is a very interesting word. Let's break it apart for a moment.
It begins with the prefix "en-" which means “to cause; to provide or give.” Like if you enslave someone you would cause them to be in slavery. Or if you enable someone to do something you would be giving them the ability to do that task.
The root word of "encourage" is "courage." Courage can be defined as “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.” We all know what courage is. It is boldness, valor and fearlessness.
So the magic happens when you combine the two together and create the word ‘encourage.' It means to cause or give someone courage. Do the words that you speak and the ways that you treat those around you bring them courage?
Do the things that you do build people up or tear them down? My guess is that we have a little bit of both in us. Sometimes we are uplifting, but then we get stressed and anxious and that begins to rub off on those around us.
Keep in mind that our influence doesn't just go for the people on our tech team. We have the ability to give courage and build up all the people that we come in contact with. How about the worship leader? The senior pastor? The children's minister? Have you considered being an encouragement to them?
Ultimately, it is God's desire that we are continually encouraging each person that we come in contact with. That may take some time to get to that point, so start small. Choose one or two people today—yes today, not tomorrow—that you can encourage. You can give them a pat on the back, maybe a card of gratitude, or just some sincere words of appreciation.
Do it today.
You may be surprised how that little bit of effort energizes, empowers and encourages them. Those few words may help that person get through the rest of the day with joy and energy. It is incredible how something so simple can produce such profound results.
