The Lost Art of Building Up Others: Guest Post by Jenny Lynn

The Lost Art of Building Up Others
By: Jenny Lynn
We live in a society today in which everyone likes to point the finger and condemn rather than practice grace and forgiveness. How much more do we witness everyone from celebrities to your next door neighbor being slammed for things like unwise choice in words, unpopular fashion choices, or their body composition rather than being praised for good works something constructive?
DRAMA PAYS
These days television and media outlets love to promote negative drama because that’s what gets a response from their audience. Most people are not interested in uplifting stories with a positive spin. Those of us who are really need to speak up and start making our voices heard. Maybe then, decent music and television would make a comeback. Our teenagers wouldn’t be acting like the women from Sex and the City. And our new mothers wouldn’t starve themselves and torture their bodies with brutal workout regimens just to “bounce back” from pregnancy weight gain within two months or other ridiculous time periods.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS…
1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV literally says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” That’s direct instruction from God’s word. Still need more?
Ephesians 4:29 ESV “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
So, what does it mean to “build one another up”?
Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV says this, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Proverbs 27:17 ESV tells us that “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
God’s intention is not for us to judge one another and tear each other down. No. That serves no fruitful purpose. Plus, who are we to judge another human being? Have we lived completely sinless, blameless lives? No. Not one of us has.
God instructs us all through the Word to help each other, love each other, build each other up with kind words, encourage each other, sharpen each other, etc… There are so many scriptures on this one topic that I can’t possibly list them all.
Our job as the body of Christ is to lift each other up. When you see someone falling, help them up. Don’t shove them down farther into despair. What good is that? No good fruit comes from living that kind of life.
I urge you to reflect on your words and actions. Is this something that you need to work on in your life? Could you do better in this area?
Author Bio-
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Hi, my name is Jenny Lynn and I am a Christian author and blogger. You can hop over to my website at www.authorjennylynn.com to read more of my devotionals and blog posts like this one. Also, I am about to release the second installment of my Christian Fiction series (aimed at the 18-24 crowd) “An Oaktown Story” later this summer. Both books in this series are a perfect reflection of people who build each other up versus those who tear each other down as well as the results of each path.
The first book is called, “Second Chances: An Oaktown Story” and is about a 20 year old named Grace. She became a teen mother and ran away leaving her life behind several years ago. Now she’s changed and realized her mistakes and she’s returning back to her charming, small town to reprise her role as Brooke’s mother and seek redemption for her past choices. She finds love and friendship in unexpected places as well as her redemption from a powerful source.

The second book set to release is called, “The Real Thing: An Oaktown Story” and follows the rapid changes taking place in Emily Caldwell’s (Grace’s former enemy turned ally) life as she leaves her mother’s side as a spoiled socialite and seeks deeper relationships and meaning in life. You also get to catch up with beloved characters from the first book and the developments in their lives. “The Real Thing” will be available for preorder in June 2018. It’s set to release August 3rd, 2018.

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