We All Need a Cheer Section

I’ve heard it said that hurting people hurt people. All we have to do is dive into the internet, and we can find countless examples from social media, videos, and news reports. Truth be told, however, all we really need to do is look in the mirror. 

I found a video on Facebook the other day of 8 to 10 four or five year old children standing along a chain link fence and watching a man shovel dirt. Every time he lifted his shovel, the children clapped and cheered and jumped up and down as though he had just finished painting the Mona Lisa.   

We don’t know the story behind the video, of course, but let’s focus on the worker for a minute.  While there were undoubtedly people who were quick to look down on him for his clothes or his race or his social status, these precious children saw past all that.  Their actions left no room for anyone to doubt their faith in his ability to finish what he set out to do.  Just imagine how much harder he worked just knowing they appreciated what he was doing. Validation is an amazing gift!  I don’t know about you, but I’m wondering where I can get a cheer squad like that!

God thinks it’s a good idea, too!  In Ephesians 4:29 He commanded us to build one another up.  

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians 4:29

There are three groups of people addressed in this verse.

1. There are those who tear others down.  
2. There are those who build others up.
3. There are those who witness both.

Yes, it is true that people who are hurt by others often respond by hurting someone else.  This person in turn hurts someone who hurts someone… until we have a chain of hurting people lashing out at others.  We see this spreading like wildfire in our world today.

Let’s just stop for a minute.

I cannot help but wonder what kind of difference we could make if we were as diligent about encouraging one another as those sweet little preschoolers in the video.  Oh, I know it is difficult sometimes.  Believe me.  I have said many things I wish I could take back.  It all comes back to the fact that our words have a power that we often do not acknowledge.

Which brings us around to the third group. What effect do our words have on the people who hear what we say?  Do they incite more anger and alienation?  Or do they nurture a spirit of unity built on grace and mercy?  Perhaps God is telling us that we can change the narrative.  Instead of spreading anger, what if we spread grace – one hurting person at a time.  

Encouraged people encourage people. 

Or validated people validate people. 

Or forgiven people forgive people. 

Or loved people love people.

 

DISCIPLESHIP APPLICATION

Let’s focus on the children in the video I spoke about above.  How do you suppose they came to be applauding the guy digging the hole?  Let’s imagine, for sake of discussion, that one child noticed the man, went to thew fence and began cheering.  What made this child, who could have been playing with friends, choose to be a little cheerleader?

I have a feeling this is what he hears.  He knows how to validate others because he has been validated.  He has seen his parents validate others.  He sees his parents encourage others.   This is what he lives.  I am confident that he is being taught how to build others up.  This is what he is expected to do.  His parents hold him accountable for the way he speaks to others.  It has become a natural way of life to him.

As parents – as grandparents – do we realize the power our words hold?  How do we use those words to build our children up?  How are we intentionally training them to build one another up?