Articles
Rats!
Take it from the rats: a little encouragement goes a long way.

I read once about an experiment on lab rats.
At Johns Hopkins Medical School, Dr. Richter placed several rats in cylinders of water. The little guys paddled and treaded and stayed afloat as best they could. Every so often, half the rats were lifted out of the water just for a few seconds, and then put back in to tread some more. The other rats weren’t lifted out at all.
Here’s what happened: the rats that stayed in the water drowned almost immediately. But those that were lifted out –even for only a few seconds! — swam for more than three days.
Three days! That’s the power of hope, the scientists concluded. The rats could keep going because they had the hope of rescue. Or maybe, all they needed was a little breather.
Either way, a little encouragement went a long way.
I thought of this experiment a few days ago, when someone encouraged Andy. They lifted him out of the water just a bit, and I saw firsthand the difference it made in his spirit and even on his face. So much of life, it seems, is about simply staying afloat, and some people have been treading deep water for a long time.
I’m not very good at encouragement, really. I say unhelpful things like, “Have you tried paddling faster?” or “Maybe you should’ve stayed out of the water.” But what if, instead of being an observer-commenter, I became a lifter-outer? What if I determined to encourage, and lift someone from their struggles — even for only a few seconds?
It may mean the difference between life and death — between thriving … and drowning.
Take it from the rats: a little encouragement goes a long way.
- Faith7 years ago
When Doing Justly, Loving Mercy, and Walking Humbly Stand at Odds
- Motherhood7 years ago
Surviving a Strong-Willed Child
- Faith8 years ago
7 Ways to Create A Family Altar
- Relationships3 years ago
5 Ways to Teach Your Child to Hear God
- Friendship9 years ago
Beyond the Registry: The Ultimate Gift Guide for Expectant Parents
- Everyday Faith3 years ago
6 Simple Ways to Give Thanks in the Thick of It
- Marriage9 years ago
4 Reasons I’m Not Facebook Friends With My Husband
- Articles9 years ago
10 Ways Life is Like a Box of Chocolates
- Articles10 years ago
How to Lift Up the One You Love
- Articles9 years ago
Warrior Mama
- Digging Into Scripture4 years ago
How the Psalms Speak to Our Emotions
- Articles12 years ago
June Cleaver Syndrome