THE POTENTIAL OF PRAISE

He had a burning desire to be a writer even though everything seemed to be against him. As a young man in London, he was only able to attend school for four years. His father was jailed for bad debts, and he had no one to help him.

Finally, he got a job pasting labels on bottles. The owner of the business was kind enough to allow him to sleep in the warehouse where he worked. Every spare moment he had was invested in writing stories. For several years every editor rejected every story he ever wrote. But he refused to give up. He kept writing and submitting his stories.

Finally, one day, one editor wrote him and said that one of his stories had been accepted for publication. He went on in his letter and complimented him for his work. A word of praise and the publication of one story were all that he needed. He continued to write and, after many years, perfected his passion. Today, libraries and book stores around the world contain many books written by Charles Dickens.

A word of encouragement goes a long way. And a word of encouragement is all that most of us need to “keep on keeping on.” Be an “encourager” to someone today!

Prayer: Lord, keep our eyes open and our minds alert to find and help any in need of encouragement. Help us to be an “encourager” that changes lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today:   – Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24