14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
Sometimes we get stuck in the growth as believers in Jesus. We get comfortable and then we start to prioritize our lives in a way that leads to stagnation and eventually death. Paul gives us several ways that we can help others and others can help keep us from losing our spiritual vitality. For those who have become lazy, Paul says we are to warn them. We need to teach them in a way that will push them to grow. This is a prodding kind of teaching, a challenging nudge in the right direction. This kind of teaching makes lazy people uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that they stop being lazy. This often takes the form of motivational speech. The next group Paul says needs instruction are the weak, those with small hearts when it comes to courage, those who seem to shrink in stature when troubles come. We need to pump godly strength into these people. We can’t simply have a pep-talk with them. They need content that will change how they view themselves. They need people at their sides, upholding and marching with them in the battle. I picture the lone pine tree left after all the other seedlings have been harvested. That three year old tree has grown in an environment where numbers protected it from the full force of the wind. All the other seedlings worked together to reduce the affect of the wind on any one tree. They shared the burden. Now that single seedling is there by itself to take the full brunt of the wind. It needs help. This is like the college student during their first semesters. They need a Christian fellowship group to help them stand. Paul then deals with the weak. This is often comprised of people who have gotten spiritually sick over time because they have not had a proper diet of the Word, fellowship and prayer. Their nutrition has been lacking. They have eaten creampuff spirituality, all sugar and no substance. They need to know that someone will be at their bedside until they have gained strength. They need someone firmly devoted to their recovery. The final group is those who have become impatient. Perhaps because of persecution or unrealistic expectations, the Thessalonian believers had lost both their internal and external control toward everyone. Their internal timetable did not match up with God’s, and they thought God was late. This led to those too often demonstrations of impatience. This often looks like angry demanding or steam-releasing frustration. This stems from a position of entitlement, a position unbecoming someone who is where they are because of grace. All of us end up in one of these states during our lives. None of us in immune, we all need support. Reach out and provide, and receive support today.
The Arnold Journey 