By Laura N. Sweet
Read: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-15
“Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (v. 15)
We can grow weary in our work and weary in our routine. But let’s face it: sometimes it’s people who weary us the most!
There are always people who let us down, sometimes repeatedly, who don’t do what they say they will do — or worse, who hinder us from accomplishing our own tasks. Such people try our patience. What are we to do?
Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him to be delivered from “wicked and evil men” who did not have faith (v. 2). But then he turned to another problem the church was facing; some brothers refused to work for a living, spending their days in idleness. This was contrary to the example that Paul and his companions had set when they were in Thessalonica. They had “worked night and day” (v. 8) to support themselves as they preached the gospel.
Idle people can become busybodies, and Paul said anyone who didn’t work shouldn’t be allowed to eat! However, he also encouraged the Thessalonians not to grow weary in doing good, even with such individuals, and to always treat them as brothers, and not as enemies.
When dealing with believers who are causing problems in the church, the goal is always to restore them to the fellowship. It requires extra patience to persevere with difficult people, but we are reclaiming a brother or sister in Christ. We cannot be weary in doing something so good!
As you pray, ask God for the patience you need in dealing with difficult people.
—————
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, former Christian school teacher and devotional writer from Midland.
Read: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-15
“Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” (v. 15)
We can grow weary in our work and weary in our routine. But let’s face it: sometimes it’s people who weary us the most!
There are always people who let us down, sometimes repeatedly, who don’t do what they say they will do — or worse, who hinder us from accomplishing our own tasks. Such people try our patience. What are we to do?
Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him to be delivered from “wicked and evil men” who did not have faith (v. 2). But then he turned to another problem the church was facing; some brothers refused to work for a living, spending their days in idleness. This was contrary to the example that Paul and his companions had set when they were in Thessalonica. They had “worked night and day” (v. 8) to support themselves as they preached the gospel.
Idle people can become busybodies, and Paul said anyone who didn’t work shouldn’t be allowed to eat! However, he also encouraged the Thessalonians not to grow weary in doing good, even with such individuals, and to always treat them as brothers, and not as enemies.
When dealing with believers who are causing problems in the church, the goal is always to restore them to the fellowship. It requires extra patience to persevere with difficult people, but we are reclaiming a brother or sister in Christ. We cannot be weary in doing something so good!
As you pray, ask God for the patience you need in dealing with difficult people.
—————
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, former Christian school teacher and devotional writer from Midland.
