Giving the Gift of Affirmation
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV)
As a church, we desire to see Jesus made famous in our city, in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces, and in every area of our lives. It is in truly loving one another that Jesus is made famous. The ways that we can love one another are many. It is love when we:
- serve one another
- provide for those who can’t provide for themselves
- bear with one another and overlook offenses
- forgive one another and reconcile to each other
- give sacrificially of our time, talent and treasure
- pray for one another
An expression of love we often overlook and neglect to practice is the giving of a genuine and personal word of affirmation, telling others how we see God at work in them.
Jesus showed us not only what love is, but what love does, and now calls us to love one another. One of the most powerful ways that we can love one another is to speak life giving truthful words of affirmation to one another, letting them know how we see them making a difference.
Who have you seen making a difference? Who are the unsung heroes? On your serve team? In you redemption group? One of the greatest ways we can praise God is to openly recognize how He is at work in those around us. Similarly, one of the greatest ways we can encourage those around us to openly affirm how we see God at work in and through them as they participate in God’s mission.
Speaking words of affirmation is life giving, and we want to create an ongoing culture where we celebrate how God is at work in us. You might start by completing this statement with one way that you’ve see someone make a difference:
“You made a difference when ________.”
“You Made a Difference” Cards
As one way to appreciate and affirm how you have seen one another making a difference, we are providing cards to write a note of encouragement, noting how you see them “making a difference”. You can stop by the Information Table on Sundays and pick up as many cards as you like.
Let’s appreciate and celebrate how we see one another making a difference for Jesus!