How to Help

Scripture Reading: Psalm 88; Isaiah 34-36; Ephesians 3

Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” – Isaiah 35:4 -

There is a great lesson for us in this verse, a truth about people and ministry that would should embrace. The lesson is simple: sometimes all that people need is for us to say words of encouragement. Can we really change the spirit and trajectory of another person’s life by the things we say to them?

Absolutely yes.

But let me add this caveat…

I’m not talking about the power of positive thinking or just being the kind of person that can pump someone up by the sheer power of personality.

What encourages, what genuinely helps is when we speak that which is true about God and His purposes. You see, if all that Isaiah had said was to tell worried people, “Be strong, fear not,” it wouldn’t have been much as much help to us.

Isaiah went on. He said not only to tell worried people to be strong and not fear, but he told them to tell them why they didn’t have to fear and why they could be strong. He built his exhortation on the promises and purposes of God.

We would be wise to do the same. We would be genuinely helpful if we did the same.

So, rather than just telling someone, “Don’t worry,” attach that exhortation to a promise of God or to something about the nature of God. Do like Isaiah. Do it like Jesus who said to his followers, fear not because you are of more value to the Father than sparrows.

Your words matter.

They matter even more when they are words that echo the words of God.