Build Up
It seems like you can turn on the television any time, day or night, and watch some sort of competitive reality show where the people are tearing each other down. I find myself watching them, more intrigued by the lack of human decency than by the people themselves. Sure, there’s the train wreck effect, where you can’t help but watch as someone cheats on a boyfriend on a girls weekend or undermines a friend so they’ll look better, or, worse yet, to win a title and small cash prize. I say small because it is small in comparison to the advertizing dollars the networks are raking in at their expense.
I know it wouldn’t be good TV, but I wonder what it would like if the women on the Bachelor, the dance moms or any of the sets of “real” housewives would follow Paul’s instructions to the new Thessalonian churches to:
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
I know, it would be – what? Boring?
Maybe.
I admit it is entertaining, at times, to watch these folks and, as I understand it, a lot of “reality” TV is scripted, but I find myself being more and more uncomfortable with the “real” lives that fill our airwaves.
I wonder how much these shows are influencing the “real” lives of the people who watch them. I wonder if we think of tearing down instead of lifting up. Where is the hope in that?
Lifting up, edifying, encouraging… all Christian sounding words – but what do they really mean? We are edified or enlightened, informed, educated or even improved by reading God’s Word, listening to His Spirit within us, taking part in the spiritual gifts of others in the church and loving and encouraging one another.
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. – Romans 1:11-12 (NIV)
We encourage by supporting and promoting each other – by putting our brothers and sisters in Christ above ourselves.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:23-25 (NIV)
The Bible is filled with people who built up, encouraged and promoted others. Moses did so with Aaron and even Joshua, training Joshua up to be his successor. Jonathan did it for David, looking out for David’s well being even at the cost of his relationship with his father. Paul did so for Timothy, Barnabus and others. The early church had to do it – they had to build each other up because they were often excluded from the core society, which made them dependent on each other for their physical and spiritual needs.
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2 (NIV)
By building up instead of tearing down, the early church not only grew in numbers, glorifying Christ, but also grew as a unified body. They were able to hold each other accountable because doing so was to support and promote each other rather than to tear down or belittle.
It must have been difficult. Yet God’s Word gives us a blueprint for building up in a way that allows His Spirit to transform us without causing division and competition. They might:
- Be careful of what they say so as to build rather than belittle each other:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4: 29 (NIV)
- Be peacemakers so to avoid division between each other:
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. – Colossians 3:8
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. – Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)
- Show grace and mercy instead of judgment:
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” – Acts 20:32
- And lead with truth but in love because we all know that love covers over a multitude of sins:
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. – Ephesians 4:15-16
I have not yet mastered what the early church must have clung to – holy relationships. Part of the problem is we are too independent – we don’t need each other to survive. The supermarkets sell to Christians without requiring us to pay homage to false gods as the early church would have faced. We can meet and talk about Jesus without fear of being beaten or killed like the early church, and, in some parts of the world, Christians today.
But here, in the land of the free and home of the brave, we don’t need each other like the early church did. On the one hand, we might be missing some of that relationship that built up the church. On the other, we are in a unique position to spread the Gospel message without the fear of being beaten or killed.
We can do as Jesus did – feeding those that are hungry, ministering to the broken hearted and giving hope to those who do not know Jesus like we do. We can also live like the early church and build each other up with truth, love, encouragement and accountability. We can be different than the “real” housewives, dance moms, bachelorettes, housemates and all those who believe that “I” come before “I Am.”
I want that – I want the world to see the great I Am’s redemptive love in how I live my life. I want to be part of a different reality – one that honors God and not man. Withthat prayer, I leave you with Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, which I pray for you and me as we go forth building up each other – strengthening and loving and glorifying Christ:
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, – Ephesians 3:16 (NIV)
Amen, powerful post.
“Back to Love” this song enters my mind as I finished reading your blog. I pray that may all Christians will really come back to love and let others know God’s great mercy and love! Thank you so much!!!
calvaryoakville
So true; we often forget others and not build them up. I think that saying encouraging words to others, would make this world a little better. I see too much negativity, gossip, and slander. I pray with you that I will be more edifying and encouraging.
Great word Niccol! I get so tired of all of the shows on tv these days that do nothing but tear each other down. I know thats what sells, but really? and to think many of our children are babysat by that little box we call tv. May we all strive to be more edifying of one another, whether its in person or what we allow in our minds and hearts.