I didn’t think there was much to comment on in this section, but when I started to jot a few notes, here’s what I discovered:
1. Paul has a great love for people. Not just for the church (ie: building, denomination) but specifically for people who have turned their lives over to Jesus.
2. Paul’s love for others causes him to sacrifice his own comfort (He sends Timothy to Thessalonica)
3. When you love someone, you worry about them. I thought that worrying was a sin (Jesus said “don’t worry about anything). So, thinking about it…..maybe Paul is expressing concern and not worry. What’s the difference? Concern wants you to be okay, but knows that you can’t change it. Worry acts as if it depends on you. Worry doesn’t trust, or have faith.
4. When you love someone, you celebrate their success. Paul isn’t afraid that they will become popular and squeeze him out of the ministry. He is genuinely happy that his “children” are doing well.
5. Paul remains unmarried, and has no children. But those natural fathering tendencies to nurture and guide have been redirected toward new converts. If God has not given you children by natural means, don’t be too quick to mourn…perhaps the Lord would prefer that your great capacity to love and care for others should be channeled in a different direction.
6. When Paul sees others doing well in the faith, he is encouraged to withstand his own trials. (verse 8). It reminds me of two things: a. I should always be quick to share how God is blessing me, because that might encourage another. b. I should always remember that others are watching my example, and might find the strength to succeed based on my perseverance. Well, let’s add one more: c. I should be worshipping with others, and listening to their testimonies…so that I may be encouraged as well.
7. Even though things are going well, Paul continues to pray for the believers.
8. As Paul prays, he asks the Lord to make the believers “blameless”. It seems clear to me that Paul believed we could be completely done with sin.
Discovering God’s message in a new way daily,
PR