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[ Encouragement during Persecution ] Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. ---2 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT Each day we have many opportunities to support and inspire family members, fellow workers, even total strangers. Six important principles to help us encourage others: (1) Begin with encouragement. People who know we will encourage them will be happy to work with us. (2) Expect of others only what you expect of yourself. People will resist being held to unfair standards. (3) Develop expectations of others with consideration for their skills, maturity, and experience. People will reject or fail to meet expectations that do not fit them. Be patient with distracted or slow learners. (4) Monitor your expectations of others. Changing circumstances sometimes require revised or reduced expectations. (5) Clarify your expectations with others. People are not likely to hit a target that no one has identified. (6) End with encouragement. People love to be thanked for a job well done. --- Life Application Study Bible notes