A Call for Encouragement

Over the years, I have observed a destructive idea adopted into society and in the workplace, and it is this: Those who are cheerful, who take the time to encourage others, are weak, less intelligent, or in some way insecure or socially needy.

I.e. Withheld compliments and encouragement from others to keep them wondering — where you stand, if you like them, if you’re pleased with them — as an attempt to gain clout and the upperhand, perhaps gaining more power, more respect, getting more work out of them, a better deal, or maybe more prestige.

Once upon a time, I came up against this idea myself. I was closing a huge deal for my company. At the very end of the process, after months of meetings and everything seemingly buttoned up, I sat at a board room table with the CEO – what was proported to be a formality at this point – who looked at me and said, “Nah, you’re too nice.” He said a few more things that alluded to me being naive.

That experience made me want to erase all expression moving forward and only dawn a poker face. But think about it… think about this tactic of the enemy… God has created me AS an encourager. So the enemy tried to threaten my livelihood and my ability to pay payroll to try to revoke my spiritual gift from me. Maybe you have been in a similar situation?

We must fight the urge to withhold kindness in order to gain respect from people whose acceptance is unnecessary. The negative ramifications of this adopted apathy are so dangerous in an era where people are, in many ways, devoid of hope.

The truth is, we need encouragement. We need other people. This strategy leaves both parties – all parties – isolated and disconnected.

If we are not careful, and we adopt this idea, what it can ultimately cause us to do is withhold love… withold joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. It can keep us from living out the fruits of the Holy Spirit as outlined in Galatians.

It can cause people, who were created to shine – all Christians (Matthew 5:14) – and those who have been gifted by God with the gift of encouragement, to forfeit their calling and forego their gift, thinking they will somehow be more accepted by doing so.

But, think about it… What happens when you take away the smiles? What happens when you mute your personality to conform? What happens when we choose to withhold a greeting, or remain stingy with a compliment? The color fades to black and white. I believe, in many ways, we are seeing this.

You guys, we need hope to survive! We need encouragement from people we know and people we don’t. “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12)

I am going to ask us to set aside our pride — whether it is how we were trained in school, family, or business — to let the joy of the Lord radiate out from us, splashing onto others.

Just as discouragement can be contagious, so can joy. We are leaving a lasting impact daily on those around us, whether we know it or not. We are writing our legacy by how we treat others. How do we want to treat them?

I can’t speak to what culture felt like to the adults around me in 1985, when I was 5 years old and enjoying my cartoons and waffles… But, as a grown adult and leader in 2025, who meets with people all the time and senses it myself…

People need hope. They need joy. And they need it more than clout, more than phony respect. We are in a difficult time.

If you feel a compliment welling up, a word of encouragement, a smile, a kind gesture… recognize that the enemy will try to make that pride and insecurity well up in you to stop you… but then, push through! Get over it, and shine! You not only might bring hope but bring them living hope by introducing them to the love of Jesus!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).