Made for More: The Power of Being an Encourager

We live in a world where criticism travels fast and encouragement moves slowly.

Scroll for five minutes and you’ll see opinions, outrage, sarcasm, and division. What you won’t see nearly as much is someone intentionally building another person up. And yet, that may be one of the most powerful callings we have.

Encouragement isn’t flattery.

It isn’t ignoring reality.

And it certainly isn’t pretending everything is fine.

Encouragement is choosing to speak life in the middle of real life.

The Bible tells us plainly:

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

Notice the words build each other up. That implies effort. Intention. Design. You don’t accidentally build something strong. You decide to.

Being an encourager starts with awareness. Most people you meet are fighting a battle you know nothing about. The coworker who seems distracted. The friend who hasn’t returned your call. The spouse who seems unusually quiet. Behind the surface, there may be stress, disappointment, insecurity, or fatigue.

An encourager pauses long enough to notice.

Sometimes encouragement sounds simple:

“I’m proud of you.”

“That couldn’t have been easy.”

“You handled that well.”

Those words may feel small to you, but they can feel enormous to someone else.

Encouragement also requires restraint. Not every thought needs to be spoken. Not every critique needs to be delivered. We can be honest without being harsh. We can offer correction without crushing someone’s spirit.

Proverbs reminds us:

“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” — Proverbs 16:24 (NIV)

Healing to the bones. That’s not shallow positivity. That’s deep restoration.

There’s another side to encouragement that we often overlook: consistency. It’s easy to celebrate someone when they win. It’s harder to stand beside them when they’re doubting themselves. Real encouragers show up in both seasons. They check in. They pray. They listen more than they lecture.

And here’s something equally important — you cannot give what you do not have.

If your own heart is running on empty, criticism becomes easier than compassion. That’s why encouragement begins with remembering who you are in Christ. You are not striving for approval; you are living from it. You are already loved, already chosen, already called.

When you understand that, you stop competing with others and start cheering for them.

Encouragement is leadership without a title. It’s influence without a microphone. It’s strength under control.

In a culture quick to cancel and slow to uplift, choosing to be an encourager is countercultural — and powerful.

Today, look for one person who needs to be reminded of their value. Speak life. Send the text. Make the call. Offer the prayer.

You were made for more than adding to the noise.

You were made to build.