Issue 14 - Day 6

1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
9)  But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
10)  And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;
11)  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
12)  That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

Passages like these are always contentious in areas of high unemployment and a generous benefits system. It is changing here in England, but still the system encourages people to stay in the system. Good news, Paul is not exactly in favour of our benefits system , however other passages make it clear that helping the poor is to be one of our top priorities.

In this context however this is two sides of the coin of brotherly love. On the one side we are to love one another. Christ himself commanded that we love one another has he loved us. There is nothing he was not prepared to do for us, if it would bring us closer to God, even, and especially, giving his life for us. We know this, yet there is always room for improvement. Love toward your brothers in Christ, and honesty toward the rest of the world. Honesty, includes that love of Christ that wants all to come to salvation.

On the other side, our ability to help others, and our need for help ourselves is driven by how we live our lives. Do you keep quiet, and not react? Are you doing everything you can to help yourself, that you are not a burden to others, as Paul was himself when in Thessalonica? Are you honest in all your dealings, so that you can receive help when you need it? Where is your heart attitude.