These Are The Things We Should Avoid

1 Thessalonians 2:4
On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

Apostle Paul is defending his ministry among the Thessalonians. He writes this letter because his missionary journey among them was cut short suddenly by intense persecution. Now he writes to them asking them to look back at his ministry and stay firm in the gospel he preached to them.

He explains how he presented himself differently from other Apostles. He acted differently. He avoided what they would never have avoided. What did Apostle Paul avoid?

1 Thessalonians 2:4
On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

1. Don’t aim at pleasing people / do not work for applause 1 Thessalonians 2:6
2. Aim at pleasing God and God will do the rest

Who you choose to please captures your attention and activities. You do everything for the sake of the one you want to please. Be very deliberate on who you won’t please and who you will please.

1 Thessalonians 2:5
You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed —God is our witness.

3. Do not flatter anyone / create false impression?
4. Don’t be greedy
5. Avoid masks. Be who you are. Be yourself
6. God is a witness of the entire human processes

Do not falsely praise people. Do not excessively praise people more than is true or sufficient. It makes you come out as desperate. You become a Bootlicker.

Avoid greed. Pray against greed. Corrupt people are greedy. They want everything beyond what they will ever need. Greed exposes the rot of your mind and its selfishness.

Do not fake who you are. Be yourself. So that those who interact with you don’t get a rude shock when the real you emerges. Acceptance is good for mental health and the opposite is true.

God watches everything we do. God blessed those who do right and punishes those who do evil. Whatever you do, do it as if you are doing it live in the presence of God. The truth is we are in the presence of God all the time, not only in church.

1 Thessalonians 2:6
We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.

7. We avoid abuse of authority

Authority should not be exercised to satisfy the leaders. Avoid asserting authorities if alternative diplomatic methods exist

May God help us to avoid these seven things, in Jesus’s name, Amen!

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