recognizing the hard working

1 Thessalonians 5:12-15

Paul is concerned about three things: 1) that those who work hard in the local church are not being properly recognized and encouraged; 2) that those who are stumbling and weak in their faith are not being properly helped and 3) that people are taking revenge for wrongs done against them (which is looking out for one's own selfish interests rather than looking out for the good of others). Judging from the amount of time that he spends on each, he is most concerned about the proper recognition of the hard working members of the local church.
Paul lays out a description for those whom the church is to acknowledge: they work hard, they care for the members of the church in the Lord and they admonish the members of the church. He also lays out a description of those whom the church is supposed to help (along with a specific imperative on how to help them): warn the idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with all.
From this passage, I see that God values hard work. From the very beginning of creation, humans were to work in as well as enjoy the garden. Work has been part of our mandate for all of history. From the parables of Jesus we see that faithfulness to God is equated with work: the servants are rewarded for being good and faithful as evidenced by how they put the money to work that they were entrusted with. Until that day when the hard workers will receive their "well done" from Christ, the Church must encourage and recognize them here on earth. I don't think this always means public commendation but we must find ways to acknowledge and encourage the hard working. If God values them, so must we.
I also see that God has a special concern for the weak and immature. He doesn't just abandon people because they don't measure up but warns, encourages and helps them. This reminds me that God is patient. He is patient with me and he wants me to be patient with others. This is where I need God's help. There are definitely times when I get impatient. God, help me to see the work that you are doing and to celebrate the steps, however miniscule, that people are taking towards Christ-likeness. Remind me of your patience with me!

Just be patient...

James 5:7-12

I remember when I was younger and all those speakers would pull out their charts and talk about how soon Jesus was going to come back. They wouldn't specifically state a time but they were pretty sure it was going to be right away. I don't hear that kind of talk anymore. It's been a long time since I've been filled with wonder at the idea that Jesus could come back today. I wonder what happened to all those guys and their charts?
Maybe people got tired of waiting. Maybe the reason that I haven't been stopped short is because all those times I was, Jesus didn't come back. James tells his readers to be patient. He uses a very vivid word picture of a farmer waiting for the harvest. I think this word picture is very appropriate: the farmer doesn't just wait idly for the harvest - he works the soil, maybe even irrigates, fertilizes and weeds but all his efforts don't hurry the harvest. The harvest will arrive in the proper time. As we wait for Jesus and the coming kingdom, we don't sit idly by. We work hard but all our work will not hasten Jesus' return. Jesus will come in the proper time.
James compares our waiting for Jesus with the prophets' waiting for the fulfillment of prophecy. I wonder what they were thinking after they made their bold predictions and faithfully spoke the words that God had given them. I wonder if they were ridiculed when their words didn't prove true right away. I wonder if they argued with God and questioned him. I wonder if they felt like fools. James says that we regard those prophets with honour because they persevered i the face of delayed fulfillment and in the face of persecution. James calls us to be as patient as the prophets.
He also uses Job as an example which is kind of weird to me. Job isn't someone that I would immediately describe as patient. He complained bitterly. He questioned God and demanded that he come and defend himself. He did not exhibit the characteristics of a patient person and yet James calls him patient because he did not abandon his faith in the midst of severe pain. James is calling me to do the same. Don't give up. Don't let the circumstances of life dictate what I will believe. Don't let Jesus' "delay" cause me to stumble. Yes, I should be longing for and looking for the return of my King but in the mean time I must continue to patiently work. The harvest will come in its proper time.

Unlimited Patience

1 Timothy 1:16

Jesus showed Paul mercy so that He could display his "unlimited patience" as an example for those who would believe after Paul. Paul recognizes that there was no merit in himself that motivated God to choose him. He recognizes himself as the worst of sinners. This is not false modesty. Paul is not waiting for someone to assure him that he is not the worst of sinners. Paul realizes that his rebellion against God, his blasphemy, persecution and violence were of the worst sort of offences agaist God. It is only as Paul sees the severity of his sin that he can see the greatness of God's grace and the immensity of Christ's patience.
God, please show me the severity of my sin so that I can better understand, and display, the greatness of your grace and the immensity of your patience.
No wonder that Paul bursts into praise: "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."