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At the end of a season of coaching basketball, I thanked the players by giving them certificates for what they brought to the team.

One was the “Good Teammate” award. The young man who earned it was a very selfless player. He got some bruises and drew blood for his effort in things like diving for loose balls. But what was most impressive was that he would dive after a loose ball one moment and have his arm around a teammate the next. He always encouraged others when they made a mistake or gave high-fives for good efforts. It was a great thing to see.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that we need to hold tightly to Christ for confidence and hope in our world. But sometimes, we fall into sin, and over time, our hearts can become cold to the Spirit or the work of God within us. This is where encouragement comes in.

Hebrews 3:13 says, “But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.” When we encourage someone, we can help strengthen their walk with the Lord and help them keep sin from becoming a regular thing in their life.

Our world seems to get more negative all the time. More now than ever, it is important to encourage one another as teammates, friends and siblings in Christ. When we do, we strengthen the other person to stay strong and strengthen our bond with that person. Plus, when we encourage, we are encouraged through it. That is a win-win!