Willie Mays began his major league baseball career with only 1 hit in his first 26 at-bats.
Though he went on to hit 660 home runs (3rd on the all-time list), and steal more than 300 bases, his debut was so unimpressive it seemed unlikely he would last more than a few weeks as a big-leaguer, let alone become one of the greatest to play the game.
The turning point for Mays occurred when his manager, Leo Durocher, found him crying in the dugout after yet another miserable performance at the plate.
The coach put his arm around Mays and said, “What’s the matter, son?”
Mays said, “I can’t hit up here. I belong in the minor leagues.”
Durocher said this to Willie Mays: “As long as I’m manager of the Giants, you’ll be my centerfielder.”
You know how the story ends.
It wasn’t long before Mays began hitting the ball, and he was on his way to becoming a legend of the game.
The Apostle Paul recognized the value of encouragement in the lives of believers.
He says this in 1Thess. 5:11:
“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”
The context of this verse is very important.
The truth of the Rapture, (4:13-18) which rescues believers from the wrath phase of the Day of the Lord, known as the Tribulation, (5:1-10) is to reassure the anxious and fearful that we won’t be here.
Because we will be living together with each other with the Lord forever, we should be encouraging and building up each other now, as we wait for Him to return for us.
Chuck Swindoll said it well:
“The Apostle does not conclude his instructions with a panicked warning: ‘The Tribulation is coming, so prepare yourselves for famines and wars.’ Instead, he says, ‘Relax. Don’t worry. We’re protected from God’s Tribulation wrath.’”
What greater encouragement could we share!
This is exactly Paul’s practical point: we need to be encouraging, building up, and strengthening each other in Christ now.
Here are six ways to encourage and build each other up:
- Pray for each other (Rom. 12:12).
- Share the word with each other (Eph. 4:15, Peter 4:10).
- Serve each other using our gifts (1 Peter 4:10-11).
- Bear each other’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).
- Be an example to each other (1 Tim. 4:12).
- Remind each other of the great truth of the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-5:11).
Let’s encourage and build each other up as we see that day near!
Soon and very soon we are going to see our King!
Blessings!
Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries