Today, we are going to talk about encouragement and how important it is in our lives. What is encouragement? How do we define encouragement?
Encouragement: the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope.
Recall a time when someone said something harsh that hurt you.
There is a saying in America, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Do you have any saying in Luganda that means something like that? It means that things may hurt us physically, but the things people say should not be able to hurt us. We all know that is not true, though. Words that were spoken to you long ago may still hurt, and that pain can stay with you for days, weeks, or even years. It is a sad truth that there are many people who still carry the scars of words said to them as little children, even as adults.
Our words to one another matter more than we realize, and that is why today’s lesson is so important for our group. You were asked earlier to think back to a time when someone said something harsh to you that you still remember. Now I want you to think about a time when you were really encouraged. Maybe someone said something complimentary to you that has really stayed in your mind, and when you think about their words, you feel encouraged. It could be a teacher, a friend, a sibling, a parent, or a guardian.