One Another

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11

I have two brothers, one a year younger than me and one 10 years younger. When we were kids, we interacted like most brothers do–as either best friends or mortal enemies. We played and ran and had fun and shared everything. We also sulked and argued and kicked and fought. Such is living in close relationship. We are all adults now with families and responsibilities. And we love each other very much.

Being a part of the Body of Christ, the Church, is similar to being part of a physical family. We have relationships. We live life together. We work together and enjoy each others’ company. Yet sometimes, we let each other down. We fail to follow through. We break a confidence. In writing to the believers at Thessalonica, Paul challenges them to encourage each other, and strengthen each other in life and faith. They had been doing it, and Paul wanted them to continue. Thessalonica was not an easy place to be a Christian. Paul & Silas had been forced to leave due to persecution (Acts 17:1-10). When things got difficult, it put a strain on the Body and its relationships. Paul encouraged them to keep going, to not give up.

Can I challenge you to do the same? Living in relationship is not easy. There are times people let us down. We can be tempted to step back, to isolate and protect ourselves. For the Christ follower, however, this is not an option. The New Testament church was built on the foundational principle of doing life together (Acts 2:42-47). We need other people in our lives. And they need us. Encourage one another.

-Pastor Mike