Peace from Building Others Up
Do people leave your presence feeling uplifted?
Verse of the Day
“So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.”
Today’s Devotional
My first glance at this verse makes me think, “Haven’t we discussed many similar verses to this one this month?” Well, yes. But anything repeated in the Bible is worth dwelling on. So let’s look at the building up of others and see where that leads us with regard to peace.
How do I build another person up? First, I cannot build someone up unless I am in some kind of relationship with him/her. I mean, I can give a random compliment or encouragement to a stranger – like the cashier at the grocery store. And I think that’s a good thing to do. But in order to really behave and speak in a way that builds another person up, it requires connection.
I believe that true “building up” comes with the kind of relationship that can lovingly speak hard truth. Sometimes we each have things in our lives that must be torn down before the true, foundational building up can take place. For me, that process includes defining my character defects and becoming willing for God to remove those things, then behaving as though the opposite character asset was part of who I am. For example, one of my big character flaws was (and sometimes still is) self-pity. I used self-pity to garner sympathy and so that less would be required of me. The opposite of self-pity for me was multifaceted: a correct perspective of difficulties, choosing joy and gratitude, and having work ethic. In order to behave with correct perspective, joy, gratitude and work ethic, I had to have people around me to lovingly point out when I was leaning toward self-pity and build me up and encourage me on the path I wanted to be on.
I think we must be careful to lovingly correct and build up only in a relationship that is vulnerable and authentic. Not everyone wants to be built up in this way.
Another way to build others up is by reminding them of God’s truths. The only way I can effectively do that is if I actually know God’s truths. I must be actively reading, studying and remembering the Word.
Lastly, I need to be quick with encouragement, praise and gratitude for others instead of criticism. Very few things tear others down faster than harshly spoken criticism. We need to remember that our opinions about other people are just that, OUR opinions. Unless asked for or prompted in some way, I need to keep my opinions to myself.
My guess is that if I am consistently a person who builds others up, the result will be peaceful relationships. And probably peace within my own spirit, because I am doing my best to love others well.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Who would you be comfortable with giving you loving hard truth? Are you the kind of person that is gentle with others when they are struggling? If you don’t have those kinds of vulnerable and authentic relationships, practice those qualities with the people you already love by sharing a struggle that you currently have.
Today, who can you build up by being encouraging, by praising or by being grateful? Notice whether or not doing those things promotes peace in your own life.