Keep Building One Another Up
1 Paul tells us, “You are all sons of light and sons of day.” He urges us to keep awake, keep our senses, and keep on our armor. And why? “Because God assigned us . . . to the acquiring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . Therefore keep . . . building one another up, just as you are in fact doing.” (1 Thess. 5:5-11) We are living in the time when sudden destruction is to come on the present wicked system of things. So we have good reason to encourage one another. How can we do this?
BY SHARING IN FIELD SERVICE
2 One way is by working with different brothers and sisters in the field service. We need to get better acquainted with one another. Working together in field service provides an excellent opportunity to share upbuilding experiences. Also, we can help one another perform this ministry. So while caring for our fundamental responsibility to preach and make disciples, we can also be building up our brothers. (Mal. 3:16; Matt. 28:19, 20) Why not arrange now to work with someone, perhaps someone you have not worked with recently?
3 During the summer months, many take vacations away from home. This may offer further good opportunity to encourage others. Why not plan ahead to attend the local congregation meetings and to share in field service wherever you spend your vacation? The brothers there will appreciate your good companionship and spiritual conversation, and you will be built up too. Perhaps your only travel this summer will be to the district convention. Plan now to share in the field service on Friday afternoon. There are many things that arise during the summer months that can distract us from the preaching work, but by planning our activities around field service and other congregation functions, our vacations can be spiritually refreshing to us and upbuilding to others.
BY EXAMPLE
4 The apostle Paul recognized that his good example influenced others and was a source of great encouragement to his brothers. (Phil. 1:13, 14) When we set a good example, even in little things, it has the same effect. For instance, do you meet regularly with the group when you share in field service? Are you well prepared, having read the publications being offered? Do you give careful thought to how you will present them? Doing so will set a good example for others and will add luster to your own presentation.
NEW, IRREGULAR, AND INACTIVE ONES
5 Many new ones and some who have become inactive attended the Memorial celebration in April. These need personal assistance and encouragement to associate regularly so they can gain needed spiritual strength.—Heb. 10:24, 25.
6 What about others who may have become irregular in the service or who frequently miss meetings? Are they perhaps discouraged because of problems they are experiencing? Could you invite such a person to work with you in the ministry or to accompany you on a Bible study? Could you include that one in other congregational activity? Often a kind and understanding word at the right time is all that is needed to help those who have become discouraged.—Prov. 25:11.
7 As we strive to keep our spiritual armor intact and help our brothers to do the same, we will be heeding the apostle’s counsel to “assist those who are weak” and will experience the fulfillment of Jesus’ words that “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—Acts 20:35.