Talking Others Up

I heard a great prayer the other day, "Lord, help me to be the man my dog thinks I am!"

This reminded me of my late mentor, John Savage. When I graduated from college, he took an interest in me and met regularly with me to help me navigate life. From time to time, I would see him in a restaurant with some of his peers. He would always introduce me to his friends and say glowing things about me. I had to resist the urge to look over my shoulder to see if he was talking about someone behind me because I didn't believe what he was saying was true.

The bottom line is that John believed in me...even more than I did. This had a great impact on me. I desired, I mean I really wanted to live up to what John said about me. I wanted to be the person he thought I was. I'm not sure if it was because I didn't want to disappoint him or if there was another reason. But no matter, the point is that his positive comments about me helped to make me want to grow, to become better.

Because of the way John Savage "talked me up" to others and the impact this had on my life, I try to do this to others as well. So who can you "talk up" today?

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11