Going Beyond Saying, "Good Luck"

The words, Good Luck or Buena Suerte in Spanish, are meant to be encouraging. Yet, they often have the exact opposite effect.

They are just hollow words that too often convey: That's nice. (or that's too bad). Now go on and don't bother me anymore--figure it out on your own. I have more important things to do. In other words, the one who speaks them feels absolved from doing anything. A period has been placed on the conversation.

Someone who truly desires to be encouraging will go beyond saying, "Good luck," and ask something like, "What can I do to help you realize your dream (or soften your pain)? There is the possibilty that the answer may request something that will require some kind of sacrifice in time or energy or resources, but more often than not, just the fact that the offer was made will be sufficient.

Then there are those encouragers who don't wait to be asked. They send encouraging notes, they show up to events, they share books or articles, they connect people, they make follow-up calls, or anything else that says, "I am here for you."

Spiritual leaders understand that doing whatever it takes to become an ultimate encourager is a worthwhile investment.