2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

From this bold introduction to Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica, you might have thought that they were perfect. But they weren’t. As Paul’s letter progresses, he addresses a number of issues. They had become confused about the timing of Jesus’ return and many of them had become lazy, using the excuse that there was no point in getting a job if the Lord was to come back at any moment. They were far from perfect, but there was still much to celebrate, and Paul did so with confidence. Their faith was deepening and, as a consequence, their love for one another was growing and they were standing up to persecution.

It’s so easy for us to focus on the failings of other people. Because churches are made up of sinners, we shouldn’t be surprised that there is often misunderstanding, tension and difficulty among Christians. Sad as it is, it’s an inevitable part of living in a broken world. But we must be careful not to focus our attention on the negatives. We need to encourage one another and so, amid the disappointments, we should look carefully for those things that we can praise and celebrate in one another.

Paul was clearly convinced that encouragement was the right approach. The most stunning illustration of this is found in his opening words to the church in Corinth. In his first letter, he writes such a long list of failures that it might have felt as if they could get nothing right. Their worship was chaotic; they were divided; they totally misunderstood and mishandled spiritual gifts. And, to cap it all, they had a case of incest in the church which remained unaddressed!

But despite all this, Paul begins the letter by saying: “I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you” (1 Corinthians 1:4). What a wonderful attitude! When we are disappointed about the failures of our fellow Christians, we would do well to remember Paul’s example.

QUESTION
In what ways could you praise the members of your church?

PRAYER
Lord God, thank you for the blessing of belonging to your church. Help me to celebrate the qualities of my Christian brothers and sisters and to forgive their shortcomings. Amen

Released on 21 Jun 2023