Issue 26 - Day 6

1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1:6-8
6)  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
7)  So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
8)  For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

Are you an example? Talking to a friend at work once, they were describing their recent holiday, extolling the virtues of Italian culture. They said, “of course, I don’t need to tell you how good it is.” Why tell someone who had lived in Italy, is married to an Italian, speaks Italian etc. that they really should go there? When Paul says that the Thessalonians were examples to those around this was no surprise, in fact he too says, “well, I’m not telling you anything you don’t know.” When others speak of your walk with God, is this how they think of you?

The truth is that in “every place our faith to God-ward is” UNKNOWN. If you are like me then your friends know you are a Christian. Maybe your work colleagues also know. Most people in the area probably don’t even know you exist, so let’s take the concept wider. Do the people of Bermondsey know of the faith of our church to the degree that Paul is speaking of? Sadly this too is not the case, if they even know of us. If we are serious about Christ then we should get out there and make sure that the whole area around where we worship together knows that if they need prayer, if they want anything of God, then this is where to come to. In the same way as everyone knows to go to Iceland for frozen food. We get that right, and we have fulfilled the command of scripture. Go and be an example to everyone you meet, of how to follow God.