I Thessalonians 4:1-18
4:1-2 We are urged to abound, to grow without ceasing in faith and compassion. Along the path of abounding in faith and compassion are the cobblestones laid down and cemented for us to follow. The lives of the apostles exemplify for us a way to use our tribulation for our betterment. Instead of just enduring life, we learn and grow from our experiences within it, and thus abound, in spiritual wisdom.
4:3-5 The hope of our creator is that we respect ourselves and others, that we love ourselves and others. His hope is that we remove the figurative uncleanliness (greed, unkindness, violence) from our character, our thoughts, our action, our lives, our souls.
Possess your own vessel... cultivate your soul. Understand yourself as a mini-universe; you are a miracle. Find humility in the fact that this infinite, complex system of life has made a space for you. Take control and responsibility of who you are. Harbor good thoughts, produce kind efforts, express compassionately. You are yours, take care of what you own.
4:6-8 Remember that the aforementioned truth is true for all individuals. Never thwart or hinder another person's ability or environment to cultivate themselves. This birth right of personal freedom and love is intended by God to reach all people. More than just breaking laws, cultural norms, or even hearts, evil acts defy God.
4:3-5 The hope of our creator is that we respect ourselves and others, that we love ourselves and others. His hope is that we remove the figurative uncleanliness (greed, unkindness, violence) from our character, our thoughts, our action, our lives, our souls.
Possess your own vessel... cultivate your soul. Understand yourself as a mini-universe; you are a miracle. Find humility in the fact that this infinite, complex system of life has made a space for you. Take control and responsibility of who you are. Harbor good thoughts, produce kind efforts, express compassionately. You are yours, take care of what you own.
4:6-8 Remember that the aforementioned truth is true for all individuals. Never thwart or hinder another person's ability or environment to cultivate themselves. This birth right of personal freedom and love is intended by God to reach all people. More than just breaking laws, cultural norms, or even hearts, evil acts defy God.
4:9-10 In Matthew 22:36-40 we are taught that it is most important for us to love others. Paul's advice for us to never cap our compassion. We are given to in order that we may give; our blessings are meant to help us become strong and brave and compassionate and to pass that on. Paul implores us to always continuing giving and loving. There are no quotas, love derived from God is infinite in abundance.
4:11 Life advice from Paul on how to never lack anything through faith and to simultaneously send a life message of faith, strength, and love to the people around you:
4:12 Indeed, live quietly. Let your actions speak. You are a living, breathing example of your values.
4:11 Life advice from Paul on how to never lack anything through faith and to simultaneously send a life message of faith, strength, and love to the people around you:
- Lead a Quiet Life: in order to cultivate contemplative, observant, perceptive, objective habits. If you are not making too much noise, you will be able to listen. When we listen, we learn. When we learn, we grow. As we grow in spiritual wisdom, we become humble, awestruck by the wondrous miracle of all life and universe around us. We need not make noise; our objective is to make, create, positive energy, opportunity, justice, freedom, love, health... all of those things we bring into the world through a quiet and studious lifestyle
- Mind Your Own Business: in order to focus on edifying yourself. When we are giving our attention to other people's flaws, talents, achievements and failures, we are not giving attention to our own. We have potential to be purposeful, impactful here but it is wasted when we spend our lives gossiping about and judging other people.
- Work With Your Own Hands: in order that you always understand the value of hard work. Be responsible. Do not be too proud to use your hands. Work ethic builds character, teaches humility, responsibility, the value of creation. You never want to lose touch from your humanity, many have and subsequently cause much suffering in the world.
4:12 Indeed, live quietly. Let your actions speak. You are a living, breathing example of your values.
4:13 Paul's intention here is to inform us, awaken us. Paul extracts us from our everyday, routine reality and holds us on the precipice of the earth. Look, he implores, at all of your potential here. Look deeper, broader, spiritually... there is more to this life than is realized. Never live without hope or even without wonder because this life was created with those exact elements.
4:14 This philosophy of life whispers to us throughout our lives, beckoning us to wake up from our sleep. Jesus is the manifestation of compassion, live, love, truth, wisdom, humility and servitude. Wake up and work, rest comforted by, inspired by those manifestations in the earth.
4:15 There is no partiality with God. He loves and is grateful for His children... we each provide Him happiness when we work with Him to provide happiness to others. The apostles are not in an exclusive club that you cannot enter. God's children hope to unite with the whole spiritual family, not to climb a hierarchical ladder and earn special favors. God loves even the children who do not awaken to spirituality... He has a tender spot in His heart for them because they need Him so yet never reach out and realize Him.
4:16 Eternal life from God is inevitable for all who, when they realize He truly exists, want to life according to His compassionate philosophy of life. Finding and adopting spirituality on the earth is indescribably helpful to us on earth and God cherishes that we found Him while here: John 20:29. But for all of the doubting Thomas', you will eventually (in Spirit, after life on earth) receive your tangible proof of His existence... and when you do, it's not too late to accept your place in His family.
4:17 God will gather those who are lost, because they need Him and because He has to provide them the opportunity, once and for all, to join in accordance with His and His will. Immediately afterwards, God gathers those who have already tethered themselves to Him in love and faith. The children who have had patient hope, because we know that He will always be there for us.
4:18 Uphold those who will watch and listen with a life exemplifying the truth of these words.
4:14 This philosophy of life whispers to us throughout our lives, beckoning us to wake up from our sleep. Jesus is the manifestation of compassion, live, love, truth, wisdom, humility and servitude. Wake up and work, rest comforted by, inspired by those manifestations in the earth.
4:15 There is no partiality with God. He loves and is grateful for His children... we each provide Him happiness when we work with Him to provide happiness to others. The apostles are not in an exclusive club that you cannot enter. God's children hope to unite with the whole spiritual family, not to climb a hierarchical ladder and earn special favors. God loves even the children who do not awaken to spirituality... He has a tender spot in His heart for them because they need Him so yet never reach out and realize Him.
4:16 Eternal life from God is inevitable for all who, when they realize He truly exists, want to life according to His compassionate philosophy of life. Finding and adopting spirituality on the earth is indescribably helpful to us on earth and God cherishes that we found Him while here: John 20:29. But for all of the doubting Thomas', you will eventually (in Spirit, after life on earth) receive your tangible proof of His existence... and when you do, it's not too late to accept your place in His family.
4:17 God will gather those who are lost, because they need Him and because He has to provide them the opportunity, once and for all, to join in accordance with His and His will. Immediately afterwards, God gathers those who have already tethered themselves to Him in love and faith. The children who have had patient hope, because we know that He will always be there for us.
4:18 Uphold those who will watch and listen with a life exemplifying the truth of these words.
