How do your shoes fit?

Have you ever bought a new pair of shoes that look and feel great in the store, but once you’ve worn them a day or two discover that they wear blisters on your feet? At that point you have to decide if the blisters are worth the wearing. It would be easy to go get new shoes, or put those on the shelf somewhere in the back of the closet. While that might be good advice when you’re talking about shoes, but when it comes to spreading the gospel it’s a different story.

Paul said in Romans 10:14-15, “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”

Try to put yourself in Paul’s “shoes” when it comes to his efforts in Thessalonica. You show up to Macedonia’s largest city where you had tremendous success in spreading the gospel. But your success also came with a lot of opposition. While the Gentiles welcomed the message, the Jews caused such havoc for you that you had to sneak out of town at night.

How would you feel about the new brothers and sisters in Christ who stayed behind, who lived there, worked there, and worshiped there? There’s an old saying, “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water,” which basically means just because the water's dirty, don’t get rid of the treasure inside of it. Paul had a longing to see those brethren strengthened so that they would stay “faithful unto death.”

In his letter to those who worshiped there, he says in 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8, “You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.”

In spite of those who made it their aim to ruin the work and influence of the church in Thessalonica, the genuine followers of Christ let their light shine beyond their borders. This is the challenge for any congregation anywhere in the world – to let their light shine regardless of those who may do everything within their power to snuff out the light. Keep burning bright for our Lord!