Strive for What's Good at Church

Now 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. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15)

You’d think that having a Christian church would be easy. If everybody believes in Jesus, everything should go smoothly, right? No conflicts. No problems. Church should be easy, right?

Sadly, that’s not the case in our sinful world. The devil loves to create conflict in Christian churches. So, as Paul neared the end of his letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, he encouraged them to “always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” Strive for what’s good at church!

Starting with your pastor and church elders: “Acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard.” No pastor is perfect, but when someone faithfully shares God’s Word with you, be careful not to tear him down with your criticism. Often leaders need encouragement more than everyone else. Hold them in high regard!

Then care for each other. Christian love comes in different forms. “Warn those who are idle and disruptive.” Can you care for someone by warning them? Absolutely! Care enough about your fellow Christians to warn them when laziness or sinful behavior pulls them away from Christ. “Encourage the disheartened.” Every time you are around other people, ask yourself, “Whom can I say a kind word to? Whom can I encourage?” “Help the weak, be patient with everyone.” Those who are weak or young have a special place in Jesus’ heart. Let your care extend to those who need it most.

In everything, “make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.” Isn’t that a great goal?

Strive for what’s good at church. May Jesus’ love for us be reflected in our love and care for each other.

Dear Jesus, the devil loves to sow conflict in your church. Fill us so full of your love that we encourage and care for each other, from our church leaders all the way down to our weakest members. Amen.

Pastor Nathan