Wednesday Thought -- November 16, 2011

Good Morning Friends,

“Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.  And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia.  Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.  Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12)

The church is a family.  God is the Father of the family.  Those who are God’s children are all brothers and sisters within the family.  As you are aware, not all families get along.  In some families, competition dominates as each member tries to outdo the others.  In some families, jealousy is the hallmark as some members think that others have gotten all the breaks and are treated with favoritism.  In some families, hatred seems the primary characteristic, toward the parents and toward the siblings, too.

But in God’s family, love is to be the dominant characteristic.  Love is to be demonstrated by genuinely seeking the best for your brothers and sisters.  Love is the desire to see others succeed and rejoices when they do.  Love goes out of its way to help the rest of family, meeting their needs, encouraging them, doing whatever will help them in their relationship with the Father and in their lives.  In fact, Jesus said that love will be such a dominant characteristic in His family that those outside the family would see that love and know there was a connection to Him!  “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

And one characteristic of love is that it doesn’t take advantage of others.  Apparently there were some in the Thessalonian church who were characterized by taking from the rest, rather than giving to them.  They had become dependent on their brothers and sisters for support.  When it is necessary, being dependent on your family is fine.  The family should be there for those who need it.  But to be dependent upon the family because you aren’t willing to pull your own weight isn’t fine.  It doesn’t reflect the love God desires to see in His family.

His, by Grace,

Steve