Acknowledge
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 1 Thessalonians 5:11-13
So, do you acknowledge people daily, I mean consciously acknowledge them? I have this practice, one that my kids used to laugh at me about, which includes specifically acknowledging the person who is helping me. I am very intentional after someone helps me to say "Thank you, (insert name), I appreciate you, and/or have a great day." This practice is performed at Starbucks, Wal-mart, RaceTrac, and many other establishments I frequent. Now, it isn't so much the thank you part or the have a nice day part that really impacts people, it is the part of utilizing their name within the sentence. When you specifically acknowledge that person by name, you are placing value on them as an individual and show them that you really care about them. Certainly there are those times when someone is not wearing a name tag that I can't call them by name, but I make sure that my phrase stays the same of acknowledging their helpfulness and wishing them a great day. I have done this for years, but just now I have noticed how much this impacts people, and I can tell by the smile on their face. My good brother Dewayne does this kind of thing in his own way at the Starbucks I frequent, and boy the days he is not there my day just doesn't start out the same way. I think we need to remember this scripture of encouraging others and acknowledging them in all that they do. Think of a world of people smiling and happy vs. a world of people that are grumpy and frowning. Next time give it a try and see what happens, not because I want you to, but because God is kind of nudging us to do it.
Have a great weekend.
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