“Their reputation proceeds them”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Monday, December 2, 2024

1 Thessalonians 1: 1-10 (Forward, p. 35) CEV p. 1237

O how nice it is when ‘the word gets out’, when someone’s reputation proceeds them, particularly when that reputation is good. (Sadly, in this day of social media there is far too much of the ‘other’ kind of reputation getting out there!)

Anyway, the reputation of the Thessalonian church is total positive. Not only did they follow the example of Paul and his associates, and that of the Lord, but they became an example to other believers as well. It is worth noting just what this reputation consists of:

-their faith in God: how they turned away from idols to serve the true

and living God.

-the gracious welcome that they extended to Paul and his coworkers.

-and their patient waiting for Christ’s return and their hope thereof.

Faith, hope and love: the same old three! And not only did this serve as an example to other believers, it also became the means of spreading the Lord’s message, the Gospel, everywhere in Greece! And so, it is quite evident that ‘it shows’. And so, it is with each and every one of us: our lives, our examples, are not ‘hidden under a bushel’. They show, and others notice and are impacted by them. Our reputation proceeds us, for better or for ill.

Forward notes: “In every place, your faith in God has become known so that we have no need to speak about it” (verse 8b).

“The prophets remind us that when there is a disconnect between what we say and what we do, a disconnect between what we proclaim and what we practice, a disconnect between what we preach and what we prioritize, we have neglected the God who calls us to life, forgiveness, and justice. The problem, the prophets remind us, isn’t that we need more sacrifices, more beautiful chant, more beautiful liturgy; the problem is that we suffer from forgetfulness. We stop living a faith like that from this passage—one that is known by our actions.

“The prophetic proclamation and promise is that we remember: remember who we are, remember whose we are, remember that we serve a God who doesn’t require sacrifice but transformed hearts, remember that we are people of resurrection, forgiveness, hope, and, most importantly, love.

“In Mary’s child, God calls us once again to remember. Remember who we are. Remember whose we are. Remember.”

Moving Forward: “What helps you remember who you are?”

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“Clear as mud”