What does the gift of exhortation look like when someone actually uses it?
The gift of exhortation is the ability to push and encourage others toward action without making them angry. It shows up when someone persistently urges another person in the right direction, such as encouraging a young athlete to leave Iowa State University and attend Bible school, which led to a productive life.
Les teaches that exhortation means pushing and encouraging someone. Not everyone can exhort somebody without making them mad; many people rebel if the exhortation comes from the wrong person. But if you have the gift of exhortation, you can push people and get after it. He gives the example of Marilyn, who encouraged a young man from that Saturday night class to leave Iowa State University and go to a good Bible school. He later found out the man was in the Lord's full-time work. Les says that's what it takes, and as a result that life became productive—someone had the gift of exhortation.
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.