Listen

As you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, our visit with you wasn’t a waste of time. On the contrary, we had the courage through God to speak God’s good news in spite of a lot of opposition, although we had already suffered and were publicly insulted in Philippi, as you know.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-2

Think

Why I went over to sit with her at a football game, I’ll never remember. She was the geek of the clarinet section and not liked by many at our school. I sat with her, though, and began talking to her. My friends immediately teased me, and since I was a spineless wimp, I moved away. They were happy, but I’m not sure God was.

Paul, the writer of Thessalonians, reminds us about something important. When we faithfully serve God, the world may not like it. They might try to stop us — by hurling verbal attacks at us, teasing, appealing to our weak side.

We are, however, called by God to speak the Good News and to serve God and our fellow human beings. Each of us, you and me, have gifts with which we can serve and change the world! My prayer is that you will resist the attacks of the world, the nasty comments, the rumors, and faithfully serve God. The insults go away, but life-changing service is with you forever.

Andy Hart

Pray

Gracious Lord, I ask that the whole armor of God be placed on me. I pray for courage as I resist the world’s attempts to tear down. Give me strength to build up through service. Amen.

Go

Go in peace and serve the Lord.