Scripture passage that caught my attention today: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; 10 and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more, 11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, 12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Observation: Paul seems to be saying that the Thessalonians, though admirable, can still love people more. And he suggests that one of the ways that they can do so is to simply spend time minding their own affairs and to keep busy.
Application: Life can be difficult when we are occupied with finding fault in others. It seems to me that there is a reason why it is easy to find fault in others and the reason is this: no one is a perfect lover.
Seriously. None of us knows how to perfectly love another and so we will always be able to find fault in one another regardless of the context in which the loving (or seeming lack thereof) occurs.
Rather than be disappointed, upset or obsessed with the foibles of others, according to Paul we are better served to work on our own love-making skills.
Hopefully you realize that neither I nor Paul are talking about love-making in regard to physical intimacy, though the same could be said in that regard as well (within an appropriate relationship of course). Instead the point is simply that we all need practice in loving others—so much so that Paul encourages the Thessalonians “to do so more and more.”
Prayer: Lord, do you ever just shake your head and wonder why we can’t all be more loving? Or are you too busy perfecting your own ability to love? I guess so. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
(Readings today included: 1 Chronicles 25-27 and 1 Thessalonians 4)
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