Just yesterday at the office, a coworker described a situation he was watching unfold as another part of our team served well. So I asked, “Did you tell them you appreciated what they were doing?” and my coworker answered, “Yes, I told him he was doing a great job”.
How wonderful it is for someone to notice it.
How wonderful it is for someone to speak it.
How wonderful it is for someone to share it.
Appreciating others…showing gratitude…loving others…is….. (as a friend put it recently) ”the currency of Gods economy”.
Why APPRECIATE others?
It’s Biblical.
If you believe in Jesus…then you are part of God’s economy…and His currency has real and lasting value.
Appreciating others competes head to head with our crazy schedules…because it takes time…and it takes the focus off me and puts it on them. If the goal is to be like Jesus (and it should be) then we must be ready to notice our own “woman at the well” (John 4). Jesus’ appreciation for this woman changed her life. She experienced the currency of God’s economy. Jesus (within you) through the Holy Spirit will have this impact. Also, review 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Romans 12:10.
How to APPRECIATE others?
Remember, this is Kingdom currency.
We all desire to be [more] generous. A great way to becoming more generous is being open for the Holy Spirit to show you where to make a Kingdom currency deposit. Pull out the spurs as mentioned in Hebrews 10 and “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” As we did last week in the Marketplace Mission Trip…Pray for the Lord to prepare you to pay attention to those around you…then take action. I ran across a great quote by Roosevelt recently that if read from light of a Biblical perspective is a home run, “I put myself in the way of things happening, and things happen”. How do you appreciate others: Pray, Be Generous, Pay Attention, Take Action. Always remember we are depositors of Kingdom currency.
When to APPRECIATE others?
“Just do it!”
When Jesus approached the lame man at the pool…He did not delay the interaction until time permitted, when it fit His schedule better, or after He sent another email. He took action right then and said “Get up…”. Jesus challenges me to take action now, no delays. When the Spirit leads me to go, call or text…I just need to do it. Seems easy enough but it is harder than it seems. I have devised many creative roadblocks to delay appreciating [loving] others. How are you doing? Appreciate and encourage someone now, do not delay. When do I appreciate others…just do it now.
See them, listen to them and appreciate them today.
Think and pray
As a Christian, we have the most valuable asset ever for our daily use – Kingdom currency in the form of love and appreciation for others.
Lord, show me how to spend this currency wisely. Amen!
Jay Emory is the President of BancFirst Yukon/Mustang. He has been a financial professional for over 30 years. His stated purpose is to connect with men and women and impact their faith and financial lives through encouragement and connection. He also leads a CBMC Connect3 group at his office in Yukon every Wednesday morning.
