1 THESSALONIANS 5:12-18 - INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO LIVE

Instructions on How to Live

Based on I Thessalonians 5:12-18

Respect leaders.

Live in peace.

Warn the idle.

Help the weak.

Encourage the timid.

Be patient and kind.

Be joyful always.

Pray at all times.

In every circumstance

Give thanks to the Lord.

These are instructions

Found in His word.

“And we urge you, brothers,

warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, 

help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong,

but always try to be kind to each other 

and to everyone else.”

I Thessalonians 5:14-15 (NIV)

makrŏthumĕō³¹¹⁴ – to be long-spirited, forbearing or patient: bear (suffer) long, be longsuffering, have (long) patience, be patient, patiently endure.

            We have lost our patience. I’m not talking about a specific incident, but in general. If the line at Burger Doodle has three cars in it, we go to Super Chick instead because we might get our food three minutes faster. We count the items in our cart to make sure we don’t exceed the maximum number for the express check-out lane. We use instant messaging and email rather than “snail mail”. We carry pagers and cell phones so no one has to wait until we get home to reach us. And if we’re driving slower than the person behind us wants to go, we may fall victim to road rage.

            We have also lost our patience with people. We see people that don’t earn a living for their families and scoff at them rather than gently warning them about idleness and training them to be able to get a decent job. A fellow believer is shy about sharing his faith, and we put him on a guilt trip rather than encouraging him by pointing out how his life is a testimony and praying God will give him words when they are needed. A new Christian doesn’t give up a certain sinful habit immediately, and we question whether she truly gave her life to Christ rather than trying to help her in her weakness. A brother doesn’t see eye to eye with us on some fine point of scripture, and we write off the friendship rather than agreeing to disagree.

Lord, I noticed that the definition of the Greek word you used for patience indicates that we must be patient for a long time. I’m pretty good at being patient to a point, but not for the long haul. Thank you for forgiving me in those moments of frustration, and help me to be kind always as you have instructed me. Thank you for those who have been patient with me.