Choose to be a Life-Giver

Early on in my life I learned the power of a positive attitude, affirming words, and an optimistic outlook.  By nature, many people tend to be negative and expect the worst of almost everybody and every situation.  It would seem that circumstances and odds are always stacked against them and they allow their misery to be made known to everyone around them.  As a Christian, our responsibility ought to be that of a life-giver to other people.  Our goal should be to help draw others into a deeper relationship with God and encourage them to use their lives to advance His kingdom work.
 
 As a young person attending school I learned that kids could be very cruel.  I found myself at the end of mean spirited jokes and comments.  The pains of having the wind emotionally sucked out of me was exhausting and defeating.  I suppose in some ways we learn to compensate and deny that it really even affected us.  I praise God that He placed some caring Christian friends around me who were filled with praise, kindness, and encouragement.  This came at a time when I was feeling very devalued and worthless as an individual.  I experienced just the opposite feeling; the feeling of being refreshed and replenished.  I loved how the drink of encouragement tasted and wanted others to know that they could be refreshed as well.  I find that most people live very depleted lives due to choices they make, those they live with, or choose to be with.  So, it was at that time I committed myself to being a life-giver to others for a life-time.

If you look in your dictionary, you’ll see that the archaic meaning of inspire is “to breathe into.” Inspiration is about receiving life-giving breath into our bodies and souls. It is what God gave to Adam when He brought him to life in the Garden of Eden: "The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being".   —Gen. 2:7

As “living beings” who have received the breath of God in our lives, we can breathe inspiration into one another. At every point of my Christian journey, God has given me companions who not only walk with me, but who also inspire me to keep taking the next step down the road. As I think about those relationships, certain characteristics stand out as key elements of inspiration.  Those I value are Kingdom minded, they stand on His promises, they rest in His sufficiency, and they inspire me to godly action (1 Th. 5:11).

Most people are not live-givers but life-takers and it is hard to be around them for long.  We need more life givers and we need to work at converting the life-takers to a Biblical mindset that focuses on the character of God.  Would you commit yourself today to BE DIFFERENT, go against the flow, and be a life-giver by His power?