THE ART OF ENCOURAGEMENT

 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us
 encourage one another --and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
                                                                                                      Hebrews 10:23-25

Art is a man I will never forget. His massive frame, brilliant smile and infectious laughter fill a room wherever he goes. According to Art, retirement is something you can do over and over again until you get it right! His life has been filled with a variety of careers; a soldier, a war correspondent, a missionary, a pastor, a teacher and believe it or not, a painter. But what has impressed me the most is his “art of encouragement”. Whenever our paths have crossed, he exudes encouragement and hope through his positive attitude, his seemingly endless supply of interesting stories and his love for people. It’s been several years since I last saw Art, I heard that he has finally retired for the last time; however I know that he will always be the “Art” of encouragement for me.
 
What “art” encourages you? Since we are all “wired” differently, the answer to this question could be endless. I look at some paintings and wonder, “What were they thinking?” while other people can come away inspired viewing the same picture. I guess it’s true that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. However, what remains true for everyone is the “need” for encouragement. I called a friend last week, who I was unaware of was having a terrible week; the kind of week where you don’t even want to answer your phone. He told me that the only reason he took the call was because he saw that I was calling him. Out of the depths of his discouragement, he made my day! That’s friendship, that’s the kind of “art” that we need to share with others. Here are a few tips on how to bring out your inner “Art”; the “art of encouragement”!
 
Accentuate the positive.  If we are looking at our “glass of life” as “half full” or even “empty” we will never be encouraging to others. Our world is filled with negative influences from the news to the endless rhetoric of political candidates running for President of the United States. One would think that there is absolutely nothing “right” going on in our country and that we should listen to Job’s wife’s admonition to “Curse God and die.”  Now, I will admit that you (that was easy) and I (that was harder) are not perfect. And that there are injustices that need to be changed in our society, but there are thousands of people working to change those things, there are billions upon trillions (that just means a lot) of encouraging events and even more people just like you and me that want to make a difference. So look for the good in your life, accentuate it, and watch as it changes your life.
 
Reduce the negative. If you are prone to being negative, and you are not a teenager, learn how to get over it. Teenagers can do this as well, but usually they just have to outgrow it; I believe that it’s probably hormonal. Now, examine those areas of your life in which you are pessimistic, apathetic and/or cynical. Don’t over-do it; I wouldn’t want you to go over to the “dark side.”  Think about what you might gain from being this way? Attention, permission to whine, relief from stress or is it a release from being accountable? Whatever the reward, it pales in comparison to the blessings we gain by being positive. People love being around my friend Art because he’s a point of positive light in a world of negativity. People are drawn to him like moths to a flame. But unlike the moth who dies for its effort, people leave Art with a spring in their step and a story or two to tell their friends.
 
Take it to the streets. Now that you are accentuating the positive in your life, and reducing the negative, you can start impacting others through the “art of encouragement”. I like to think of it as art because it’s more than a few “brush strokes” or platitudes that we throw around so others can be impressed. It’s noticing what people need and using the “pallet of your experience” to color or reframe your interaction. Two little words, “thank you” when spoken in earnest, can change the course of a person’s day. When repeated over time, reinforced with words of encouragement and solidified with acts of kindness they can change the course of a person’s life. There is no limit on how these words can be said; cards, letters, phone calls, emails, bill boards, or sky-writing. But nothing is better than face-to-face exchanges. Showing interest in other people is another way to be an artist. When I have my car washed I always ask the cashier how her classes are going at school, and her whole attitude seems to change because of my interest. The owner of an ice cream store used to “comp” my drink whenever I came in because he appreciated the fact that I was interested in him and his life. Over time we developed a friendship where he sought my advice in areas of his personal life and business. People love it when you show a genuine interest in them because so few people do. These are only a few illustrations from my gallery. Now it’s you turn; you can paint, I know you can, I believe in you!
 
I wish all of you had an opportunity to meet my friend Art. We are not close; actually we are only casual acquaintances from the past. We have never been in each other’s homes; we don’t socialize or call each other on the phone. God just used him to impact my life through the “art of encouragement”. When you “check your pulse” this week, think of who needs some “Art” in their life, pick up your brush and gently paint a picture just for them, one word at a time.