You’ve heard the saying, “Silence is golden, unless you have toddlers, then silence is suspicious.” I was reminded earlier today just how true that statement can be. Both girls were putting their babies down for a nap in the guest rooms downstairs and since it was too cold to be outside, the toddlers and I were upstairs in the playroom keeping quiet. We have a table for snacks, a rocking chair for reading stories, and several areas for designated play including a farm nook, rocking horses, a window seat filled with stuffed animals, and a pretend ice cream cart. Baskets of building blocks and musical toys line shelves that divide the room into play and sleeping areas, and a basketball goal hangs on the back of the door.
If left to themselves for too long, it quickly begins to look like an explosion in a toy factory but we’ve been working on picking up after ourselves and not taking out another set of toys until the first have been put away. I worked alongside Thomas and Amelia until I was distracted by a text message just moments before the mommas returned from getting the babies to sleep. They no sooner took seats across from each other and started a conversation than the toddlers jumped up from where they were playing in the middle of the room and ran giggling out of sight into the far window alcove. Instant silence. Knowing looks passed between the girls as if to say, “whose turn is it to check on them this time?”
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians bears a curious line in the third chapter.
“and we sent Timothy to visit you.
He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ.
We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through.
But you know that we are destined for such troubles.”
1 Thessalonians 3:2-3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1th.3.2-3.NLT
You know that we are destined for such troubles, destined for trial. I read it through twice more before restarting the entire letter in search of a meaning beyond the initial obvious one. Coming again to chapter three verse three, I paused to recall the words of Jesus:
“I have told you these things, so that you can have peace because of me.
In this world you will have trouble.
But be encouraged!
I have won the battle over the world.”
John 16:33 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/jhn.16.33.NIRV
Paul’s letter came on the heels of his visit to Thessalonica during his second missionary journey. He was with the new believers there for less than a month, preaching three successive Sabbaths, covering much ground theologically, as evidenced by the topics reviewed in his letter. (Acts 17:2) After rioting broke out, Paul was hurried away under cover of night for his own safety, (Acts 17:10) and his letter was dispatched shortly after. “When I could stand it no longer,” he writes, “I sent to find out about your faith.” (I Thessalonians 3:1,5)
We teach our children right from wrong and we watch, as parents, hoping the lessons stick. We look for evidence of this knowledge of good and evil in their actions and often, like the first pair, they run and hide when they hear us coming. (Genesis 3:8) Paul’s purpose in sending this letter was to find the fledgling church doing well, and if they faltered, to gently lead them back into the light. Such is the way of God. When He asked Adam, “Where are you?” it was not because He didn’t know. He was inviting Adam to come out of hiding. Each question was another chance to step into the light.
I put my phone down and opened the safety gate to walk toward the window alcove. Loud knocking on the glass pane preceded Amelia’s mommy voice. “Stop doing that, Thomas!” His mom has been teaching him lately that when it comes down to listening to an adult or Amelia, he should listen to the adult. This time I had to agree with Amelia. We’ve all told him repeatedly not to bang on glass for obvious reasons. He drums on anything and everything but today, as he watched the ongoing tree work across the street, he simply wanted the attention of his buddies in the earth movers. I could have chimed in with Amelia. Instead I said, “They’re working too far away on machines that make far too much noise for them to hear you knocking. And I don’t want your hands to get hurt if the glass breaks. Wait until Poppy comes home and they’re done working. Then you can go say hello.”
The way we voice our concern can make all the difference in the response we receive. Paul began his letter with words of affirmation.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/eph.4.29.NIV
Twice in the second chapter, Paul uses familial phrases to convey his care for these new believers.
“Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you.
Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”
1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, 11-12 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/1th.2.7-12.NIV
Remembering his own hurried departure, Paul surely feared that the harassment to his host and the others had continued. Could these infant believers, a mere three sermons old, continue to embrace a faith that hurt? Did they know enough of Jesus and His love, His mercy, and His grace to hold fast, without wavering, so soon? Had he been forthright enough about the persecution promised to every true believer?
““Just remember, when the unbelieving world hates you, they first hated me.
If you were to give your allegiance to the world, they would love and welcome you as one of their own.
But because you won’t align yourself with the values of this world, they will hate you.
I have chosen you and taken you out of the world to be mine.
So remember what I taught you, that a servant isn’t superior to his master.
And since they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.
And if they obey my teachings, they will also obey yours.
They will treat you this way because you are mine, and they don’t know the One who sent me.”
John 15:18-21 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/jhn.15.18-21.TPT
“But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love.
He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.
For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”
1 Thessalonians 3:6-9, 12-13 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/1th.3.6-13.NIV
“It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
3 John 1:3-4 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/3jn.1.3-4.NIV
To walk in the Truth, you must first know the Truth. He is the One and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. Truth is a person. His name is Jesus.
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you really know me, you will know my Father also.
From now on, you do know him. And you have seen him.””
John 14:6-7 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/jhn.14.6-7.NIRV
“I have given them your word.
The world has hated them.
That’s because they are not part of the world any more than I am.
I do not pray that you will take them out of the world.
I pray that you will keep them safe from the evil one.
Use the truth to make them holy.
Your word is truth.”
John 17:14-15, 17 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/jhn.17.14-17.NIRV
“But what does it say?
“The message is near you.
It’s in your mouth and in your heart.” (Deuteronomy 30:14)
This means the message about faith that we are preaching.
Say with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.”
Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.
Then you will be saved.
With your heart you believe and are made right with God.
With your mouth you say what you believe. And so you are saved.
Scripture says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Joel 2:32)
How can they call on him unless they believe in him?
How can they believe in him unless they hear about him?
How can they hear about him unless someone preaches to them?
And how can anyone preach without being sent?
It is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Isaiah 52:7)
So faith comes from hearing the message. And the message that is heard is the message about Christ.”
Romans 10:8-10, 13-15, 17 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/rom.10.17.NIRV
“Then Jesus came to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. So you must go and make disciples of all nations.
Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
“And don’t allow yourselves to be weary in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!
Take advantage of every opportunity to be a blessing to others, especially to our brothers and sisters in the family of faith!”
“And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.””
Matthew 28:18-20 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/mat.28.18-20.NIRV
Galatians 6:9-10 TPT
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