Not a Baaaad Friend! / David Jeremiah

 

Not a Baaaad Friend! Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV   Kanchi showed definite signs of prolonged depression because her male partner died. She stopped eating as much, her weight fell, and she stopped communicating. She wasn’t just any widow. She was a rhinoceros at a Bangladesh zoo. Animal workers introduced a sheep into the enclosure, and the two became unlikely friends. A picture of them appeared in newspapers, with the sheep rubbing herself against her giant companion’s belly.1

Recommended Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11

Even animals need fellowship, companionship, and encouragement. The Bible compares us to sheep, and we can be good companions for others in our life. We need to remember our job is to encourage and comfort someone every day. It’s hard to do that when we’re complaining. We should complain less and comfort more. One of the blessings God gives us during trials is the support and encouragement of other believers. Thank God for the people He has brought alongside you during trials. Ask Him to show you how you can best encourage others who are currently walking through troubled times.   Somebody needs your encouragement. Somebody is glad that you are their friend…. Somebody needs your support. Emilie Barnes