Gò0dNews for Everyone Are You An Encourager Or A Discourager?
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by Grace Alfieri
e are living in difficult and hateful times,
with his friend to the train station and thanked him
and we are all witnessing the viciousness,
for coming. The next day, Lou started blasting the ball
evil, and cruelty that is going on in this
again, and over the next 11 games, he came through
world. It is a good time to ask: am I being influenced
with 22 hits, including six home runs, and his career
by the culture?
took off.
Am I becoming an encourager or a discourager?
He decided not to quit after all.
Discouragers cause walls of division between people,
Yes, we are all entitled to our own opinions, but
but we forget that we need the support of one another.
do you remember what Grandma used to say? “If you
Do we major in encouragement (building people up) or in tearing people down? Do we nag and harass our family and friends about their weaknesses or praise them for their strengths? When you enter a room or people see you at the shopping mall, do they avoid you because they know you have an ever-ready list of the faults of everyone and anyone, or do people cheer because you are a bright light of sunshine? I remember reading a true story about when Lou Gehrig, the great baseball hero, was starting his baseball career. He went into a slump and grew so discouraged he was thinking of quitting. After several bad games, he doubted his talent and ability, and his spirits collapsed. A friend heard that he was in
don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything
a slump, and he took a train to Hartford, Connecticut,
at all.” Be the hand that lifts someone up when they
and invited Lou to join him for a steak dinner.
have fallen. Be the hug or the smile that someone
During that dinner, Lou poured out his
needs when they have no one else. Lend a listening ear
frustrations, and his friend could see that the player’s
when someone needs to talk. You never know if YOU
confidence was shot. So his friend spent the evening
just might be that person who keeps someone from
telling Lou that all hitters go through slumps, that
committing suicide or doing something that they really
even Ty Cobb failed to get hits six or seven times out
shouldn’t be doing! Be someone’s blessing.
of every 10 tries. But he told him that eventually, good that he was a good hitter. After dinner, Gehrig walked
40 // April 2020
About The Author
hitters start hitting again, and his friend reminded him
Rev. Grace Alfieri was born and raised in New Jersey where she pastored the church in which she grew up. Her father pastored the church before her. She retired to Etowah, Tennessee, in 2013 and has 3 children and 3 grandchildren.
