Words of affirmation are one of five love languages that we all can learn to appreciate and use to help others feel more connected to us, and to God. As we strive for a culture of honor here in Chi Alpha, learning how to utilize our words to affirm someone will help us create deeper community, that will ultimately help us reach more people for the Kingdom of God
“To affirm someone is to say something positive about someone directly to him or her. It is about saying something positive to the person about who he or she is. Or, it could be thanking someone for something he or she has done for you. Think of someone who has done something for you. Maybe you think the person knows you appreciate the favor, but maybe you’ve never actually told him or her. Consider affirming that person directly, and see what happens. Let’s explore how to do that.” – Taylor, Ford. Relactional Leadership: When Relationships Collide with Transactions (Practical Tools for Every Leader)
In Life Group, we should often take moments to affirm each other so that we can help celebrate the good things that the Lord is doing in us, and through us. Learning to do so takes a bit of effort, but when done correctly, a good word of affirmation will change your life, and possibly those around you. Read the following scripture and answer the discussion questions below:
Proverbs 18:20 & 21 NLT
20 Wise words satisfy like a good meal;
the right words bring satisfaction.
21 The tongue can bring death or life;
those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
Proverbs 12:25 NLT
25 Worry weighs a person down;
an encouraging word cheers a person up.
How To Correctly Affirm Someone:
1. Remove Insincere Phrases
2. Make Eye Contact
3. Make It About The Other Person
4. Be Honest
5. Affirm The Person Directly
6. Know When To Affirm
Take about 20 - 30 minutes to go around the group and practice affirming one another.
Discussion Questions:
1. Was it hard for you to affirm others tonight? How did you feel about being affirmed?
2. Do verbal compliments motivate everyone? Can they actually shut down some people?
3. How many words of affirmation do you think you could give to others in a week?
4. How can creating a culture of honor and affirmation impact our campus?
5. Who can you affirm this week that seems to need some encouragement?
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash