We encourage you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. – 1 Thessalonians 5:14
You may have heard it said, “It takes all kinds to make a world.” Likewise, it takes all kinds to make a church. If you walk into a local fellowship expecting perfection, you will be disappointed. Someone once said, “The church is like Noah’s ark, it may stink at times, but it is the only boat afloat.”
Just as a young couple, madly in love, enters a marriage expecting to live happily ever after, but soon realizes they are doing life with someone who tracks mud into the house or has bad breath in the morning, church members must realize they are doing life with imperfect people. Many leave the fellowship saying, “The church is full of hypocrites!” They abandon their brothers and sisters in Christ for the same reason many get divorced — failed expectations.
To the Thessalonians, Paul described some in the congregation: idle, fainthearted, and weak. He did not say they should be kicked out but admonished, encouraged, and helped. And he adds, “Be patient with them all.”
If your fellow church members fall short in some way, admonish when necessary, help when needed, and encourage always. Someone once said, “If you find the perfect church, do not go there; you will ruin it!” Nobody is perfect. The Lord is patient with you, so be patient with your brothers and sisters in Christ. There is no good excuse to “neglect meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25).
Pray that believers of the United States will learn to love one another in such a way that they would attract unbelievers, because, eternally speaking, it is the only boat afloat.
Today’s Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Matthew 7:1-5
7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
