Good Friday to you my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends,
Would you agree that people of Encouragement are among the most valuable people in your life, your city, and our world? Remember Barnabas, the man who traveled with the apostle Paul on their first missionary journey? Barnabas had a nickname; did you know that? “Son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36) Could that describe you, my friend?
Encouragement didn’t come naturally to Paul. He was a trained Pharisee, a debater, and they were famous for pointing out deficiencies, anything a person did, or didn’t do, that fell short of expectations! I think that’s almost the opposite of an encourager, what do you think?
Yet when Paul’s life was changed by Jesus and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, Paul became a constant source of encouragement to people, especially new Christians facing great stress in life! We’re nearing the conclusion of Paul’s letter to new Christians in Thessalonica, Macedonia, who are under great persecution from their fellow Thessalonians who reject Jesus and His good news the Gospel! So let’s rejoin Paul as he is writing this remarkable letter, are you ready for some encouragement?
“We ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thess. 5:12-14) Oh my that’s good, do you agree?
Look around you, wherever you live in the world. Look at your network of friends, your acquaintances, your coworkers, your neighbors. Who are those you view as “hard workers” no matter their vocation? These people tend to have a high work ethic and engage themselves 120% into whatever they do, whether their job, their hobbies, their volunteerism, even being a good neighbor, isn’t that true? These people show up early, work hard and stay late. These people clean up wherever they are so it’s better after they leave than what it was like when they arrived. These people have a reputation of reliability, trustworthy, dependable.
Have you noticed how far a little encouragement goes with these people? So, who are you encouraging, how are you encouraging them, and what difference is that encouragement making in their lives?
And who are those, as Paul says, who “…care for you and admonish you in the Lord”? That means Christian people who help you, nurture you, are there for you when you need encouragement or help. It also means fellow Christians who help you improve and grow in your relationship with Jesus even with encouragement that might be guidance or advice or correction when you need it? Do you have some people like this in your life, my friends? How are you thanking them for their help? How are you showing them that you hold them in high regard?
Did you notice the short little phrase Paul uses in his writings which like a dagger strikes at the problem of discord, disunity, friction, conflict among people? “Live in peace with each other.” Do you? Can you? With whom is peaceful living a problem for you? Why? What can you and I do to live in peace with EVERY person we know? What difference would that make in their lives and ours?
Finally, look closely at that challenge of Paul’s, it’s very powerful. “Warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” Let’s take it one little phrase at a time and first see how that phrase might be seen in YOU and me, and then let’s look at everyone we know, how can we help them, encourage them to positive change? “Those who are IDLE… those who are DISRUPTIVE… those who are DISHEARTENED… those who are WEAK… those who need extra PATIENCE”. Can you think of people you know who are characterized by those key words and can you see how YOUR encouragement might be helpful to them in giving them a fresh, encouraged perspective on life? So, what’s holding you and me back from being the sources of encouragement these people need?
Maybe you are thinking that some of these people are cantankerous or critical or hard to get along with? Maybe some have actually wounded you with their attitudes and words and you sure don’t feel like encouraging them? Look at what Paul writes next: “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is helpful for each other…” (1 Thess. 5:15)
I wonder if you remember that powerful little phrase Paul wrote to the Corithian Christians about what true love is? “Love is not easily angered, love keeps no record of wrongs…” (1 Cor. 13:5) This is a big deal for us, the human race, in every society, every generation in the world, right? No one enjoys being the victim, being bullied. Everyone wants to defend themself, to retaliate, to pay back in kind, maybe even with extra punishment, when we’ve been wronged, isn’t that true? That was normal life in Thessalonica, just as it is in your city. But Paul was calling these new Christians to consider a better way of living, a better way of resolving conflict.
Refuse retaliation and seek peace! Furthermore, pursue healing and help for those who have hurt you! Wow, now what difference would that make in your life and mine, and all our relationships, if the Holy Spirit could actually help us to live like this CONSISTENTLY, every day?
Let’s pause right here and ponder that with these questions:
1. WHO do I know who needs encouragement? What’s holding me back from being a Barnabas, an encourager of other people? Do I think God has designed me to be an encourager? Is God calling me to be an encourager? Will I?
2. Have I been one who keeps a record of when I’ve been wronged? Do I think retaliation or peace? What efforts am I making to live at peace with EVERYONE I know?
3. Am I an idle person or a hard worker? How do I thank and encourage the hard workers I know and urge the idle people to join in actively helping our world be a better place?
Here’s one last question: who have been those people in your life who have modeled well each of these powerful phrases of Paul’s?
Are there some changes God is asking ME to make in my life and my relationships? Here’s a wonderful song of refreshing as we consider these powerful and challenging words from Paul.
Today’s Scripture is 1 Thess. 5:12-15.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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