So we had a great community group last night about encouragement. Tears of affection were shed (both guys and girls), we welcomed a couple new “members”, and had some fantastic summer sausage.
But for me both in the curriculum we were studying (Discovering Your Role in God’s Family at Fellowship) as well as the discussion that night I kept feeling that I was missing something. Most of the lesson was couched in a person’s need to hear something positive about themselves or their circumstances as well as our role as believers in Christ to be proactive in sending those positive words. Goodness knows I love it when someone tells me something I’m good at, or that I’m headed the right direction in the right way, but I still did not feel that that was really where I needed to go to hear what was being impressed on me concerning encouragement.
Since I am jobless at the time I’ve had the day to think on this a little and to do some digging. Our main texts for the study were Ephesians 4:29-5:2, Hebrews 3:12-13, and Hebrews 10:19-25: using the power of the Internet I looked into the original Greek meanings of some of the words used in these text, particularly the call to encourage in the Hebrews passages (http://www.studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=3870). Turns out the word for encourage in the Greek is the word, “Parakaleo” (from Para: at, beside, near and Kaleo: To call) meaning “to call to one’s side”.
So that really got me thinking that if I am to REALLY encourage someone (biblically speaking) in a meaningful way that means that my position is as important as that person’s circumstance. What if in calling someone to my side what I am really doing is calling them to accompany me in comfort, or laziness, or selfishness. If that is where I am standing, if that is where I am content to be, then my encouragement is no better than “Barney Time” 0r mushy milk toast. Something that is sweet at first but in reality is too mushy and insufficient to be of real power.
In true community, real ministry, part of the body of Christ the onus is on me to be running after Christ, be walking in obedience, to be bold in what I give Him and how I live. That way when I call someone to my side, when I “parakaleo” I am calling them to be with me in something adventourous, real, and powerful.
The ironic thing is as I think about it is that I naturally do not stand in that place of adventure. I find it difficult to get off my spiritual (and physical) couch and run after Christ so often. What I need as well is a Paraclete, someone that is running as well to call to me, someone that bears the name I want to bear. I need that kind of encouragement as well to live the life after Him that I want to live in my heart of hearts.
So I guess I’m resolving to live there this week, remain in a place where it is worth standing next to me, so that when I am used to call to my side it is exciting and life giving to be there. I’m just thankful for those around me who are already standing where I want to be. May we all be dilligent to have sides worth being called to, and be intentional to continue to issue that call, kaleo, whatever.
Para Kaleo
