Christian Living

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As Christians, we have a biblical mandate to be a source of encouragement and support to one another. For this to happen, however, we must be open and honest with each other, and our conversations give us a great opportunity to do this. The way we greet other people or respond to their greetings, can either help us be a source of encouragement or lose out on the chance entirely.

The word, "Fine", has become such a standard reply to the question, "How are you doing?" This answer really says absolutely nothing about how a person is doing.

What would happen if, the next time someone asks you how you are doing, you responded with one of the following answers:
1. Do you really want to know? (Or do they really care?)
2. Not fine, how are you?
3. Ask my wife or husband.
4. Actually, I could use some help right now.
5. Do you have a moment to talk.
6. Things could be better.
7. It depends upon what area of my life you are taking about.
8. Fantastic!
9. It's a fabulous day.
10. I'm basking in God's blessings.

Try these if you dare. Some are rather humorous. They will probably turn a few heads and raise a few eyebrows, but they will be honest answers that may initiate some profitable conversations, disclose some hidden hurts, and be a source of support. How and when you use them depends, of course, upon the level of friendship you have with someone.

The point is that too many people, especially Christians in church on weekends, come across as if they have it all together in every area of their lives. I responded to a man's question in my church recently, and he was actually surprised that I had a problem that I was dealing with in my life. Another time, I responded to a person using the reply of number 7 above, and he did not know what to say. I am not saying that we should always go around sharing all of our problems with everyone, but we also should not let ourselves lose out on opportunities to be encouraged or to encourage someone else. And we are actually lying to ourselves and to others when we say "Fine" and we know that everything isn't.

(Parts of the above article are from my book entitled, GOD'S HEALING HOPE: BREAKING THE STRONGHOLDS OF WRONG THINKING, available on Google Books.)

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