A Positive Action List

This morning I decided to read through the whole of Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians.  It is always interesting to read larger chunks of scripture to pull many themes together into a single stream of thought.  There is much to reflect upon in this letter, but I found myself drawn to the  last several verses, the encouragements that Paul gives to the people.  Here are the verses I am reviewing - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 NIV:

[12] "Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. [13] Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. [14] And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. [15] Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 

[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray continually, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

[19] Do not quench the Spirit. [20] Do not treat prophecies with contempt [21] but test them all; hold on to what is good, [22] reject every kind of evil. 

[23] May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."

The first thing that grabbed my attention was the end of verse 12, "Who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you."  Specifically I wanted to understand "admonish" as the original recipients would understand it.  I find, especially with words that have a slight negative understanding in our modern English, that often times the original Greek word is not so negatively bent. 

In this case the original Greek word is "nouthetéō (from 3563 /noús, "mind" and 5087 /títhēmi, "to place") – properly, to place the mind, i.e. reasoning with someone by warning (admonishing) them.  (continuing) 3560 /nouthetéō ("admonish through instruction") especially appeals to the mind, supplying doctrinal and spiritual substance (content). This "exerts positive pressure" on someone's logic (reasoning), i.e. urging them to choose (turn to) God's best." (Strong's Concordance)

I like that description, placing something in another's mind.  That is the heart of instruction and good teaching.  I have a few teachers that I listen to that do this so well, they gather scattered thoughts, organize and correlate them and place them nicely into our minds.  Having new thoughts in our minds is a necessary part of repentance, our learning to think differently, or better, so that our actions can then line up with our thinking.

The rest of Paul's final exhortation is fairly action packed:

Live in peace

Warn those who are idle or disruptive

Encourage the disheartened

Help the weak

Be patient with everyone

Do what is good for each other 

Rejoice always

Pray continually

Give thanks in all circumstances

Do not quench the Spirit

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all

Hold onto what is good

Reject every kind of evil

Wouldn't this be a good list of things to keep about, rather than all the negative focus on sinful behavior on things not to do?  This list is more positive and as I mentioned, action oriented.  I was just thinking how wonderful it would be if we could embrace these as a congregation, or as the whole Body of Christ!

Oh Lord, help us!  We can get so distracted, so focused on little things and allow them to distract us and even divide us!  Help us to live at peace with each other, embracing the call to Love one another!  

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you (us) through and through!  Lord, help us to place these things in our minds, that we might live them out for Your Glory!

Amen and Amen!