Chocolate Vitamins

I have a friend or two that don't like chocolate. I'm not sure how this is possible, but it's true. I can't imagine life without chocolate, and I don't want to. Even with lactose intolerance, I just switched from milk chocolate to dark chocolate and kept going. I love chocolate.

I have learned that taking a regular multivitamin is important for my health, especially my heart, so I'm in the habit of taking one each day. I want to be more healthy and fit in my life, so a vitamin makes sense, and every night before I go to bed is a good time to be sure to take one, so that's when I grab my vitamin.

Encouragement is chocolate vitamins: taste good and it's good for you. Humans work better if they have a regular supply of encouragement in their lives. Normally, they respond positively to it, but some folks will squirm or avoid being encouraged. It's weird, but it happens. Just like people who don't like chocolate: I don't get it, but it happens. Some folks don't want to be encouraged. I believe it's a false, insecurity-turning-to-pride thing some folks get going with, like if I say stop you'll keep telling me how great I am, so... Stop, stop, stop!! But I'm off subject.

People need encouragement. Leaders need encouragement. Pastors need encouragement. Learn how to be an encourager and you'll never run out of friends. I've had the privilege of having some encouragers in my life over the years, and they have helped me survive the pitfalls and pain of serving in church. There are lots of people who will throw a wet blanket on the fire of your passion to serve Jesus, so you need some folks who will stoke that fire instead. If you have discouraging people in your life, find some encouraging people NOW and hang out with them. We all will have folks who want to tell us we'll never make it, we'll never succeed, we're not good enough - everyone has those folks in their lives, so don't try to avoid them all, just avoid being around them all the time. Make sure you're being encouraged (not lied to, encouraged... big difference!), because that will keep you in it when the going gets tough.

If you're a pastor: encourage your people! Find any excuse to tell folks they are doing a good job. They may argue and fight you on it, but it's still the right thing to do. Don't let them think that the only time you talk to them is when something is wrong. Lift them up, charge them up, fill them up with encouragement! Make it a daily habit to encourage someone.

If you have a pastor: encourage your pastor! It's a lonely job, it's a difficult job, and it's one that follows you home most days, so any time you hear encouragement, when you hear someone thinks you're making a difference or doing something well, it's a lift to the spirit, so lift up your pastor! If you got something out of a message, let them know! If you heard something good in the community about your church, let them know! If you were blessed by something they said or did, let them know! You will have a better pastor for it! It's good for their heart.

And encouragement works well in other places, too. Husbands: encourage your wife! Catch her doing things that are good and tell her about it! Wives: encouragement works better than nagging for any man I know. Parents: when you encourage your kids, they remember if far longer than the lecture. Kids: when you encourage your parents, you help them see what you want and need from them, and it works better than the silent treatment.

Encourage someone today. Then, do it again tomorrow! Make your world, your church and your family a better place!