On Sunday mornings at Creekstone we have folks fill out a "Keeping in Touch" form. It's got a place for contact information, how folks heard about the church, groups to get in, ways to serve, and a section for comments and prayer requests. I have been in contexts where, if someone were to make a comment on the form, it usually would not have been to encourage, but to complain. "It was too hot in the room." "It was too cold in the room." "You use too many illustrations." "You don't use enough illustrations." "I didn't like the new song." "I loved the new song." I think you get the point. 

However, one of the amazing blessings of serving you folks at Creekstone is that rather than merely commenting or criticizing, you use the KIT form to encourage. How can I put into words what a small dose of "we love our worship team" does for everyone involved. In fact, I believe that encouragement is one of the most powerful of all spritual gifts. I pray that we will all crave, use and celebrate this gift.

As a motivator to greater performance on the job, in the classroom, on the stage or on the field, encouragement does FAR MORE than criticism or complaint. Think of the latter as law motivation, and the former (encouragement) as grace motivation. I think that this applies in parenting and marriage, too. 

So, as the synagogue leaders said to Paul and his companions in Acts 13:15, " "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak."