Wed the 22nd

 

 

2 Thessalonians 3:14-15

 

¹⁴If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. ¹⁵Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

 

Love not hate, encouragement, not destruction. Space, not suffocation,  this is how we live. I know first hand how hard it can be to try and love someone like a brother when it would be much easier to hate him like an enemy. I know that I always feel the need to “go make it right” instead of letting the Lord work on His timetable.  For some reason time and time again the Lord places people in my life that create an opportunity for me to work on this! It is very telling how Paul instructs the Thessalonians to deal with those who will not follow instruction…..do not associate with them, in the hopes that they will feel true remorse. I fear that this is a concept that many of us miss. We find it much easier to force the topic, we feel justified in belittling, and running down the person in an attempt to get them to change. There is one problem with that approach…..it typically does not work! However when we leave people alone, when we allow them to have the time to reflect, and to think, an amazing thing happens, we have created time, and space for the Holy Spirit to enter that persons life, and go to work. Think about it like this, what makes more of an impact on you….having someone in your ear saying you have to love me, you have to love me, you have to love me…..you are not doing it right, not that way, no, no, no, no! I hardly think that type of behavior will do much to convince anyone of anything, conversely when someone lays out what they hold to be the truth, when we are approached with love and fellowship, and then we are given time to reflect on that truth, what happens? We have the time to come to a conclusion. This is what Paul is suggesting. Tell the truth, shout it from the mountain tops, let the world know! But when you are faced with someone who will not accept the truth, let the Lord do what he does best….find the lost sheep. We all want to be soul winners for the Lord, however we are not the ones who really changes the heart, the mind or the spirit, that is the work of the Trinity. All we can do is present the option, open the door, perhaps create the spark. Then we have to let the Lord take over. Give the facts, give the truth, then give them space. It was in the belly of the whale that Jonah realized he could not outrun the Lord.

 

God bless,

Brian