In a world where criticism often overshadows compassion, these words are often hard to live out.
Many of us consistently undervalue the quiet strength of encouragement.
A kind word, a listening ear, or a patient heart can be the difference between despair and resilience.
Paul’s words remind us that encouragement is not a passive kindness but an active ministry.
This command is more than just a friendly reminder; it is a blueprint for building stronger communities and changing lives through intentional encouragement.
And few people live this way. One who remarkably embodied these words was Catherine Lawes, the wife of the warden at Sing Sing Prison, New York in the early 20th century.
When her husband, Lewis Lawes, became the warden of Sing Sing Prison in 1921, people warned Catherine to stay away.
Sing Sing was notorious for its harshness and hardened inmates.
But Catherine saw not prisoners, but people — broken, yes, but still worthy of love and dignity.
She moved into the warden’s residence on the prison grounds and began doing the unthinkable.
She walked the halls unafraid, visited the men who were ill. She took interest in their stories and brought her children into the prison for community events. Her presence was not just tolerated — it was transformative.
The inmates, many of whom had been written off by society, began to change under her influence. Hardened criminals softened.
Violence decreased. Respect increased. All of this because Catherine Lawes lived out 1 Thessalonians 5:11. She encouraged, and she built others up — day by day, act by act.
Perhaps the most powerful moment of her life came in death.
When Catherine was tragically killed in a car accident in 1937, hundreds of prisoners were devastated.
It is said that scores of men stood at the prison gates at her funeral, weeping and asking to attend.
The warden allowed them to go, unescorted. Every single man returned.
This kind of encouragement bridges where others build walls. It calls out the image of God in people who have forgotten it was ever there.
Catherine Lawes never preached a sermon from a pulpit, but her life was a living gospel— an echo of Paul’s call to “build each other up”.
In a culture that is quick to cancel and slow to restore, we need the spirit of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 more than ever.
Encouragement isn’t about flattery or false praise; it’s about calling others toward the good that God sees in them.
Who in your life needs encouragement today? A struggling co-worker? A tired parent? A neighbour battling illness? A teenager trying to find their way? Or maybe even someone society has discarded?
The prison gates may look different now, but the need for Catherine Lawes-like compassion remains.
Encouragement, as scripture shows and Catherine proved, is more than kindness — it’s a tool of transformation.
So, let’s not underestimate the power of building someone up. Because when we do, we just might set them free.
Pastor Samuel Jacob
Lifesource Church, Echuca
11°C