I can ask you, dear brother: What does the stimulus mean to you? Can you remember the last time someone came to your side for the sole purpose of lifting your spirits?

Sometimes it only takes a word, a smile or a handshake to encourage someone who is passing a test. It can also be the simple act of accompanying someone during a particularly difficult time and helping them not to lose hope. It produces a pleasant sensation of knowing that someone loves us at the lowest points of life, where we can not see clearly forward, or when we do not understand God's perspective and vision for our life.

Have you ever done something like that for a person who suffers?

The Lord has assigned us special tasks within the body of Christ, and those who have the gift of exhortation or encouragement can rejoice in their special ministries (Romans 12: 8). However, the stimulus is not the exclusive domain of people who have received a special gift from the Lord, but it is a wonderful function that God has assigned to all who belong to Jesus Christ.

In the early days of the church, the new believers needed a lot of encouragement. The pressures of society increased, the persecution multiplied, and very few had access to the teaching of the apostles (1 Thessalonians 3: 1-10). Very often, the state of mind of the early church came in the form of a person, as was the case with Timothy when he visited the Thessalonians. The same is still true in our days. Sometimes, the simple act of seeing a loved one arrive can revitalize our spirit and remove the focus of our problems.

The ministry of the mind is indispensable, both for you and for the body of Christ. There is not a single person that does not need to be animated. If you are looking for ways to build the people with whom you interact on a daily basis, the likelihood of establishing meaningful and Christ-centered relationships increases. As Paul told the persecuted Thessalonians, "encourage one another and edify one another, just as you ... admonish the idle, anoint the weak, support the weak, be patient with all" (1 Thessalonians 5 : 11-14).