What am I Building?

Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another….

— 1 Thessalonians 5:11

The word “edify” is a translation of the Greek word oikodomeo — which is a compound of oikos and demoo. The word oikos is the word for a house, and demoo is the word for construction. When they are compounded, the new word describes the enlarging of a house, as well as all that is entailed in the building process. To add to a house or building, one must plan ahead, implement ideas, use instruments, and make a sizable investment. Basically, this word describes a deliberate decision, as enlarging a house doesn’t normally occur accidentally. Have you ever seen a house that was added to without a plan? It usually looks like a house that was built with no foresight!

Therefore, when Paul exhorted us to “edify one another” in First Thessalonians 5:1, he was telling us to be very deliberate about how we encourage others. Our actions and words should encourage and build people up — that is, add to them, advance them, augment them, enhance them, or improve them in some way. We should put great effort into making other people’s lives richer, fuller, and better. Accidental edification is appreciated when it occurs. But Paul was not asking for occasional, accidental, haphazard edification; he was requesting a well-thought-out plan that occurs with great deliberation.

What will you do?