Are some people wired to affirm others, or is it a learned habit?
Are you striving to be more grateful and affirming in this year?
Sam Crabtree, executive pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, is an ‘affirmation advocate’ and he helps us see the value of Practicing Affirmation—and the price to pay if we don’t.
We review practical ways to see and affirm Christ-like character in others and communicate encouragement in a more meaningful way, while giving God the praise He so richly deserves. Sam points out that affirmation, unlike a compliment, is about a person’s character and is rooted in the past. When we’re able to point out God’s sanctifying power in the lives of others, He gets the glory.
Why do some Christians struggle to do this? According to Sam, there are three possible reasons:
Some are just too busy. A packed schedule and season of life can often distract someone from being intentional to affirm
A person wasn’t raised in a positive, encouraging family, so they feel awkward or uncomfortable expressing that to others
Someone might be afraid that by offering praise, they’ll “raise pride” in the person they are encouraging. However, when we use our words to point out God’s work in the life of a friend or family member, then we’re offering “God-centered praise, for those who are not God.”
That is the art of affirmation.
