Comfort and Edify

"Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do."

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Such a short verse but packed with so much!

This tiny verse exhorts us to be mindful of what others are going through.

We are to:

    Give strength, hope and cheer to others-

    We are to ease the grief or trouble of others-

    We are to console others-

    We are to assist, support, give aid to in time of worry or trouble-

    We are to be dependable-

And those are all just definitions for the word 'comfort.'

We are also called to edify one another, which means:

    To instruct and improve in moral and religious knowledge-

    We are to uplift, inform and enlighten-

    Build up-

    Establish-

    Nurture.

I had to ask myself, "Am I too busy with 'self' and my own life that I don't see what others are going through around me?"

"Do I even care?"

"Am I too tired to make the effort to comfort and edify someone else?"

There is a right way and a wrong way to comfort and edify others:

    Not everyone needs to hear platitudes-

    Not everyone needs to be reminded to pick themselves back up by their bootstraps-

No, sometimes they just need someone to pray with them.  They need someone to sit silently by their side.  Sometimes things aren't going to work out the way we thought they would, but it's nice to know that someone cares enough to be there with you.

God help us to be discerning enough...

        care enough...

             love enough...

                 to know HOW to help those in need...

                        But that's just me!