encouragement

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Encouragement Matters

(Author’s Note: This article was originally written for the July 2025 Newsletter of Palestine Methodist Church where the author serves as pastor.)
.189 batting average for the year. 1 hit in his last 35 at bats (.029 batting average.) That’s how LSU 3rd baseman Michael Braswell III entered the College World Series. Ice cold. Driving the struggle bus. However you want to say it, it was not good.

But instead of criticizing or booing him, LSU fans started a movement on social media to give Braswell a standing ovation when he walked up to the plate for his first at bat in the College World Series. He didn’t get a hit that game, but he made some great plays in the field that contributed to LSU’s two game sweep and eighth National Championship in college baseball. LSU fans continued to cheer for Braswell, and he finally got a hit in the eighth inning of the game in which LSU won the title.

When asked after the game what it meant for the LSU fans “to wrap their arms around him like that”, Braswell replied “It meant the world to me. Those are the moments you dream of. You don’t dream of hitting .180, but you dream of a whole fan base being behind you and supporting you and I couldn’t ask for a better fan base ever.” (Watch Braswell’s entire interview at https://www.youtube.com/shorts/b02iMJN0mnM.)

Encouragement makes a difference. What if we decided to be an encourager instead of a discourager? Upbeat instead of Debbie Downer? As you might guess, the Bible has quite a bit to say about encouragement. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Ephesians 4:29 may be even stronger: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” These are only two of the hundreds of verses that encourage us to cling to our faith and to encourage others. The Bible is clear, God intends for us to be encouragers.

A daily devotion I read is titled “The Wake Up Call” published by Seedbed and written by John David Walt, a pastor in the Trinity Conference serving Gillett Methodist Church in Gillett, Arkansas. The theme for this summer’s Wake Up Call is the “Summer of Encouragement” with each devotion designed to encourage and uplift the reader or listener. By the way, you can receive the Wake Up Call for free every day in your email box by subscribing at https://seedbed.com/wakeupcall/. You can listen at the same address or at apple podcasts, spotify, or iheartradio. Just reading or listening to it has encouraged me.

Who do you know that could use a bit of encouragement? How might you do that? Maybe you don’t have to give them a standing ovation, but you can encourage them. Maybe a word, maybe a letter or a text, maybe just a hug. Be an encourager. Because encouragement matters. Just ask Michael Braswell III.

Striving to be an Encourager,
Kevin D. Smith

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Cheering and Encouraging Others

SO_Louisiana_Mark_XXX_XXX-21(Author’s note: this article originally appeared in the April edition of “The Cross and Tower” newsletter from FUMC Winnfield.  The entire newsletter can be viewed at http://www.fumcwinnfield.com)

On March 15, 2018, I was invited to speak for a few moments at the Winn Parish Special Olympics at Stokes Walker Stadium on the campus of Winnfield Senior High School. I also led the athletes and spectators in the Special Olympics pledge “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” It was a great privilege to play a small part in this special event for these special needs students from all over Winn Parish.

I was touched by so many volunteers, adults, teachers, youth, who made this a special day for these students. I was touched by the big smiles on the faces of the students as they ran, jumped, and were awarded medals for competing. I was touched by the crowd that cheered and yelled as each student competed in the events.

But what really got my attention was the finish line of the races. As each competitor raced, student volunteers held up and waved signs of encouragement. Other volunteers cheered and applauded. Each competitor received hugs, high fives, and a medal as he or she crossed the finish line. Inevitably, whether the finish was in first place, second place, or even last place, smiles and joy was the result for the competitor.

As I watched, I wondered what would happen to us if we intentionally tried to be encouraging. How would the world change if we smiled more, gave more high fives, a few more hugs, and cheered for one another? This world is full of criticism, disappointment, trouble, and frowns. But what would happen if we learned from these special Olympians and those volunteers to cheer for and encourage others rather than discourage and marginalize others?

There’s no way to know what would happen, but my guess is that if we truly cheered for and encouraged others, we would have fewer tragedies like 17 students killed in a high school shooting. We would likely see violence decrease. Maybe we would remember what we have in common rather than our differences. Maybe our world would change, one person, one special person, at a time.

Can you imagine what would happen in our church if we made a habit of cheering on and encouraging others? If we patted people on the back and said “great job” instead of criticizing and cutting down? It seems like this is God’s design for His church. I Thessalonians 5:11, written by Paul to the church at Thessalonika, says “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Paul’s clear expectation for the church is that we are already cheering for, helping, and encouraging each other.

Who are you cheering for? Who are you encouraging? Cheering and encouragement made a difference for these special needs children and it will make a difference in the lives of those you help. Thank you to the Winn Parish Special Olympics for allowing me to help. And thank you for reminding me how important it is to cheer on and encourage others.

Looking to Cheer for and Encourage Others,
Kevin D. Smith