I just finished reading/studying 1 Thessalonians and find myself challenged and encouraged as I think about Paul’s writing and how it relates to both work and my everyday life.

From my (feeble) understanding, the church in Thessalonica was made up of young believers in the faith who were surrounded by hostility. These two letters were written by Paul in hopes of encouraging the young believers in their faith as they faced persecution.

As I read and ponder, there are a few things in 1 Thessalonians that stick out to me…just felt led to share!

1. We are called to live lives worthy of God (1 Thessalonians 2:12).

I think it’s safe to say we live in a politically-driven world that’s more concerned with keeping our status in check rather than our spirit.

Because we often value public reputation over heart transformation, we miss out on opportunities to make God look good.

Paul, however, was passionate about pleasing God, not man. He didn’t care what other people thought. More than anything, He wanted to bring delight to God by honoring him with his actions and being a faithful steward of the calling God had placed on his life.

God cares about the well-being of our souls, and He longs for us to be the men and women He created us to be!

There’s a quote by A.W. TOZER that says, “You can be sure, the Holy Spirit never enters a man and lets him live like the world.”

I long to be unmoved by the opinions of man, and to live a life worthy of the calling God has placed on my life!

2. We are called to have a good work ethic (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).

Paul was a tent maker, and he worked hard so he could eat. He was intentional about not being a burden to those around him as he sought to share the Gospel. He did his job and he did it well.

I believe there is a lot to be said by the way we show up to work each day, regardless of what we do for a living!

As a real estate agent, it matters how I interact with agents, lenders, inspectors, escrow officers, buyers, and sellers! How I do my job also matters.

Am I responsible? Proactive? Do I keep the best interest of my *clients* in mind and act accordingly? Am I trustworthy? Do I pour myself out for others regardless of how much money I am going to make on a deal? Is my work ethic consistent or is it dependent on my circumstances?

Having a good work ethic not only brings God delight, but it can also be a witness to those around us!

My hope is to handle my business in a way that points others to the larger story God is writing.

3. We’re called to live in such a way that our daily lives win the respect of outsiders (1 Thessalonians 4:12).

I believe with everything in me that we are called to be with others (especially those who are different from us) in a way that reflects the beauty of God.

I’m tearing up as I write this.

As I contemplate this verse, these questions come to mind, “What does it look like to engage with the outside world as believers in Christ? How am I caring for those God has entrusted to me? Who are those people?”

To be honest, I have no idea what this looks like 99% of the time, but I do know Jesus wasn’t selective and he shared meals with folks very different from him—sinners like you and me.

He valued withness (as Larry Crabb always called it) and was constantly creating space for outsiders regardless of where they were at in their story. Jesus pursued their hearts and they were drawn to him because of it. I want to do the same!

As I reflect on these verses, I am reminded of the higher calling God has placed on our lives and how, as Larry Crabb always said, “there is quite a price to pay every day.”

Becoming like Jesus isn’t cheap. It’s costly!

Are we willing to put Jesus on display…regardless of how it makes us look?

I long to pay the price!

Imperfectly, but consistently.

“God cares about the well-being of our souls, and He longs for us to be the men and women He created us to be!”

“Having a good work ethic not only brings God delight, but it can also be a witness to those around us!”