Encouragement

Barnabas, missionary and sometime traveling companion of Paul, had a particular gift.  James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also known as sons of thunder.  I am uncertain whether this appellation is a description of the two apostles or their father - either way it is likely an indication of temperament.  But Barnabas, whose given name was Joseph, means "son of encouragement”. (Acts 4:36)    We could use more sons of encouragement.”

The meaning of the word “encourage” is not in the least arcane.  It means to put courage in.  Encouragement gives us confidence to move forward.  

But here are some things that encouragement is not.  Encouragement is not building someone's self-esteem, although this might be a byproduct of the process.  In our efforts to protect and nurture self-esteem in others, we are often anxious to affirm everything in them.  You are the best _________ (fill in the blank).  While this is very nice and preferable to constant critique, it is quite often just telling them lies.  Encouragement is always about what is true.

Here's another:

For there is no truth in their mouth;

    their inmost self is destruction;

their throat is an open grave;

    they flatter with their tongue. (Psalm 5:9 ESV)

Encouragement is not flattery.  The flatterer uses empty words that appeal to our vanity.  The purpose of flattery is not to build the other up but rather to curry favor or ingratiate oneself.  I met someone a few years back, who was very nice and "encouraging" but I always felt something amiss in interactions with him.  I eventually realized that he was a flatterer and that his words of encouragement were not intended to build the other up, but rather to enhance his position with others.  It seems to be other-centered but it is not.  

The thing about flattery is that it might be true - or not. But we always wish it were true.  When we are subtly manipulated by flatterers, we must remember that it is not just the flatterer's fault.  The flattery appeals to our own vanity (for which we are responsible). We like to be thought of as clever or attractive or athletic or compassionate. (At least I do.)  That fondness is the way in for flattery.

Encouragement is always about the truth and always about the other.  It is an admiration or appreciation for a quality or act in someone that is named.  Aloud.  The aloud part matters.  My miss on the encouragement front is the failure to state the truth, the appreciation aloud.  This is for two reasons.  First, I am a problem-solver.  Sounds good.  Might put it on my resume.  But it means I am always alert first to the problem, what is not good in persons and situations.  Thus I am far too easily critical.  The second reason is that I have, as we say in our family, a "rich inner-life”.  Which means that I have many conversations with myself in my head.  My appreciation and encouragement is named, but not aloud.  I am not an encourager if I just think something.  Nor am I encouraged if I don't hear the words.

While the indiscriminate self-esteem builders and the flatterers use insincere or self-seeking words, encouragers boldly speak true words for others when they are needed.  And sometimes even when they are not.  This encouragement, the naming of our true gifts and strengths, is necessary for us to grow and further develop those strengths.  We grow and become in dialogue, not monologue.  We are given courage when we hear these words and we are confident to move forward.

But there is another kind of encouragement that is not about naming our strengths.  It is still all about truth and other-centered.  Courage is poured into us when we hear the truth about God.  "...he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)  That gives me courage.  One of the names of God in the Old Testament is Jehovah Jireh, or more accurately YHWH* Jireh, the Lord provides - an encouraging reminder.  "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)  I could go on. 

So my prayer is that I would see first the good, and then speak it aloud, so I too can be a Barnabas.

* This is one of my favorite little Hebrew titbits.  The tetragrammaton (four letters) is a technical word for the name for God we Christians often pronounce "Yahweh."  Truth be told, no one knows how the letters יהוה should be pronounced because observant Jews do not say the name of God and usually write it G-d.  And Hebrew is a vowelless written language (at least originally).  So when one sees יהוה one is meant to either not say the name or say something else - and the something else is usually Adonai אֲדֹנָי.  You will notice in this second word the little squiggly marks around the letters.  Squiggly is not the technical term.  They are called diacriticals.

So suppose here I am, an observant Jew recopying a manuscript  somewhere between the 7th and 10th centuries.  By this time diacriticals were used in Hebrew to indicate the pronunciation of the word.  But tragically, I must not pronounce יהוה so when I see it I say "Adonai".   But what do I do as I copy it down?  Well since I say "Adonai" why don't I use its diacriticals or something very close to them to indicate what the reader should pronounce.  So I now write יהוה as  יְהוָה .  A good Jew would know to say Adonai here.  Not so the unsuspecting Christian who later discovers this text and who, frankly, isn't in conversation with Jewish scholars.  These scholars then see the word and sound out the letters with the vowels and they get "YeHoWaH" or "JeHoVaH" (caps are the Hebrew consonants).  Trust me, this is how it would sound.  

I can never bring myself to tell the Jehovah's Witnesses at my door that their denomination's name is based on a Christian's mistaken pronunciation of a Hebrew word.  Where's the harm?

Jehovah has become a common name for God and is widely used.  And I think this worth continuing if only for the fact that "Guide me O thou great Adonai" would be rather jarring to sing.