Sheer Encouragement 单纯的鼓励
Dexu Xia
[Barnabas] encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. Acts 11:23
“Sheer encouragement.” That was the phrase J. R. R. Tolkien used to describe the personal support his friend and colleague C. S. Lewis gave him as he wrote the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Tolkien’s work on the series had been painstaking and exacting, and he’d personally typed out the lengthy manuscripts more than twice. When he sent them to Lewis, Lewis responded, “All the long years you have spent on it are justified.”
Perhaps Scripture’s best-known encourager was Joseph from Cyprus, better known as Barnabas (meaning “son of encouragement”), the name the apostles gave him (Acts 4:36). It was Barnabas who advocated for Paul to the apostles (9:27). Later, when non-Jewish believers began to place their faith in Jesus, Luke tells us Barnabas “was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts” (11:23). Luke describes him as “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith,” adding that because of him, “a great number of people were brought to the Lord” (v. 24).
The worth of encouraging words can’t be measured. As we offer words of faith and love to others, God—who gives “eternal encouragement” (2 Thessalonians 2:16)—may move through what we share to transform someone’s life forever. May He help us to offer “sheer encouragement” to someone today! Who would you like to encourage? In what ways might you share God’s love with them through a kind deed or word?
Dear God, please help me to be an encouragement to someone today.
[巴拿巴]劝勉众人，立定心志，恒久靠主。—使徒行传11章23节
“这是单纯的鼓励。”这句话是《魔戒》三部曲的作者托尔金，形容自己的朋友兼同事鲁益师对他的支持。托尔金的写作过程十分艰辛严谨，他还亲自将超长的手稿打了不只两遍。当他把这些手稿寄给鲁益师时，鲁益师回应说：“你为此付出这么多年的时间确实是值得的。”
在圣经中最著名的鼓励者，也许是来自塞浦路斯的约瑟，他就是一般人熟知的巴拿巴（意思是“安慰者”或“鼓励之子”），这是使徒们对他的称呼（使徒行传4章36节）。当保罗刚悔改的时候，正是巴拿巴带他去见使徒们，为他辩护（9章27节）。撰写使徒行传的路加也提到，当非犹太信徒开始归信耶稣的时候，巴拿巴“就欢喜，劝勉众人，立定心志，恒久靠主”（11章23节）。路加形容巴拿巴“是个好人，被圣灵充满，大有信心”，因为巴拿巴的缘故，“有许多人归服了主”（24节）。
鼓励和安慰的话语所带来的正面影响是无法衡量的。上帝已将“永远的安慰”赐给我们（帖撒罗尼迦后书2章16节），当我们对人说充满信心和爱心的话时，上帝可以透过我们所说的，彻底改变某人的一生。愿上帝帮助我们，今天就能带给别人“单纯的鼓励”！作者： 庞雅各
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