October 1, 2026
I think I have said before that I take my 10-year-old granddaughter to school most mornings. On Tuesday, when she was getting in the car, I noticed three clothespins on her lunch bag. I thought it was a little odd so I asked her what they were there for. She proceeded to explain to me they have “encouragement cards” at school as one of their job assignments. Several people will get that job for the week and you take a clothespin, write an encouragement on it in marker, and give it to another student.
I thought, "What a great idea!" She had received three, which she clipped to her book bag. My granddaughter and I always have “challenges” on the way to school like “help someone without them asking you” or “give someone a compliment,” etc., so I immediately said, "When you have that job you should look for someone who doesn’t have any clothespins and give one to them."
My heart just filled with joy when she replied “I already have.” She told me there was a girl in her class who had not received any so she gave her two clothespins. She also told me she wrote the encouragements in different color markers on each clothespin and even disguised her handwriting so the little girl would not recognize they were both from her. That was about the sweetest thing ever.
I told her how proud I was of her and what a great thing she had done, and how I know she made her friend’s heart happy and day better. You know how I know? Because the same thing happened to me.
I have had a rough couple of days this week – emotionally, physically, mentally and everything in between. Tears have fallen, emotions have been high, sleep has been hard, and my heart has hurt. I’m sure you have had days or weeks like that as well.
However, on Monday afternoon I received an encouragement – not from a clothespin but from an email. I had sent out a generic email to about 110 people on a committee here at work to give them some paperwork that we had promised to them. I received a few “thank you” emails back but then I received the one that I needed for that day and that moment.
I do not even really know this man who is a pastor, other than he is on one of our committees at work. He sent me an email thanking me for all I do through my ministry with the GBMB and then he said, “I pray for you every Friday. If you ever have a specific request for which I can pray, please let me know.” I cried and cried because it just made me feel like someone cared. It was like the Lord pinned a little clothespin to my heart with some encouragement.
When we encourage others it inspires them with courage and hope. Encouragement can lift your spirits and change your entire outlook. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 it says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Isn’t it amazing how encouragement changes us and how God knew we would all need it!
We all have bad, hard, long, or tiring days. I’m sure at some point in your life you have had a season of troubles and problems. We are human. However, I want to encourage you to encourage others. It could be a family member, a friend or really you don’t even have to know them. There is the person at the grocery store or gas station that you might not know, but they need encouragement. There are people we come in contact with every day. We have no idea what they are dealing with in their life or how their day is going.
I have learned just because you look like everything is okay doesn’t mean it is (I might have been this person a time or two). It doesn’t even have to be an elaborate encouragement – a thank you or I appreciate you goes a long way. As I get older I realize that my life is more than halfway over and honestly, I’m not even guaranteed tomorrow. I want to “encourage others and build them up.”
I desire the same thing in my life. We cannot become so busy that we forget to share some inspiration, courage, and hope. Everyone has days when we might be lacking in one of these categories. I challenge you to look for ways to encourage and build each other up. Why don’t we strive to make a difference by changing others' perspectives as we share some hope and love?
A great way to start is by being kind, courteous, thoughtful, and showing gratitude to people we come in contact with. We have to make encouragement a habit, not an afterthought. Encouraging others is a great way for us to show the love of Jesus.
Those little bits of encouragement God will clip to your heart and mind and they WILL make a difference. Ask yourself the question, "What clothespin of encouragement can I share today?" If you see me with some clothespins you will know exactly what I am doing!
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
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