WINNING WISDOM DEVOTIONAL - THURSDAY 27TH JUNE, 2013 - THE POWER OF A PERSONAL EXAMPLE – PART TWENTY-SIX – SERVING ONE ANOTHER “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV) Yesterday I began the listing of practical ways we can serve one another. I want to continue that today. 3. Commend Each Other Everyone can use some doses of commendation daily. We are very much like God in that. God loves praises and so do we all. It is my conviction that we don’t nearly do that enough. It comes more naturally to us to ‘put down’, ‘talk down’ and condemn each other. Greatness often lies in the capacity to overlook other people’s faults and weaknesses. It is a service we owe each other. “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” Mark Twain All human beings crave and need praise, recognition and appreciation. Constant praise and appreciation brighten and strengthen our spirit and soul just as constant condemnation withers the soul and spirit. Commendation is not only a psychological need but also a spirit and soul need. People who are generous with praise and appreciation have an easier push through life. Conversely, people who are critical and cynical do really have a hard time in life. Praise and appreciate helps. Condemnation and criticism hurts. Praise and appreciation builds while condemnation and criticism destroys. This is even more critical for young people. We can make or mar their destinies with either praise or condemnation. Parents owe their young people the duty of constant praise and affirmation. It is a serious responsibility. If we fail here, no amount of money and expenditure can make up for it. It is not a work for teachers or the Sunday school but parents at home. Others can add to it but the responsibility rest squarely on those who closest to the child. Children can be permanently damaged for being starved of compliments and praises. But that is an area where we never grow up. Our need for praise, compliments and appreciation is not cured by age, skill or experience. More marriages break for lack of sufficient appreciation and praise. Broken friendships and relationships owe their liquidation more to the absence of love and care engendered by positive confession and commendations. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,” Hebrews 10:24 (ESV) That verse may have included ‘good words.’ Good words are part of the good works we need to share among ourselves. Words of comfort, encouragement and appreciation are as important to the spirit and soul as food is to the body. (To be continued) NB: A. If you like your friends and family to receive and be blessed by this devotional, please forward their email addresses to me. B. If you have a prayer request and will want me to pray with/for you, please email/text/ call me. Thanks. C. We are trusting God to have this devotional printed and circulated widely. If you would like to assist with finances, please contact us. Thanks Dr. Segun Oshinaga has had a rich and varied experience and career in business, ministry and government. He is the Ceo of Productivity Plus, a training programme for executives in industry and also host of Productivity Plus TV Broadcast, a personal development, life enhancement programme. He also runs Leadership Plus and Winning Wisdom Network. To invite him for training of your workforce or sponsorship on radio and TV stations, call +2348030773584, +2348189074232, +2348122827890 or email - droshinaga@gmail
Posted on: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 08:57:20 +0000
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