Encourage One Another

I am sure that somewhere and at some time Tabletalk readers have heard the lyrics of the “anthem of the West” titled “Home on the Range.” The idyllic American cowboy was “at home on the range” for multiple reasons. One reason was because it was a home “where seldom was heard a discouraging word”—a home environment where discouraging words were rare and encouraging words were plentiful.

Our Lord expects His people to create such environments not in the fantasy of a song but in the reality of life—in our family homes and in the home for His family, the church, which is “the household of God” (Eph. 2:19). God’s home and our homes should be intentionally emptied of self-centered words of discouragement and filled with selfless words designed to “encourage one another” (1 Thess. 5:11). But how does this happen in a sin-cursed world full of discouraging words? How does this happen in the church, which is full of grace-saved sinners?

Good homes have “house rules.” Mine did, but more pointedly, so does God’s. This issue of Tabletalk is exploring some of those “house rules”—the “one another” admonitions in God’s Word for God’s family. These admonitions are not suggestions from a family therapist. They are divine commands, including the command to “encourage one another.” Clearly, we need to pray for the Spirit of God to give us both the ability and desire to establish churches and relationships where “seldom is heard a discouraging word” and often is heard an encouraging word. But encouraging words aren’t enough. They must be united with encouraging deeds. Here are two texts to equip us to “encourage one another” in word and deed. Read More