In the United Church of Canada, this date the third Sunday of November is always recognised as Children’s Sunday though not all congregations may highlight this in their worship.
The significance of today led me to focus and reflect on the words of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians. As I mentioned last week, the Thessalonian Church was a new body of Christians who were growing well although enduring persecution for their faith. It was also evident that the Thessalonians had issues of concerns and misconceptions about their new faith which Paul wrote these letters to clarify and teach them from.
One of the misconceptions that some of them had which Paul was addressing in this text concerned the second coming of Jesus. Apparently, there were some who believed that Jesus’ return was so imminent that they stopped living useful lives as they waited. Some even stopped working because they felt that it would not be necessary since the coming of Christ was very imminent. In his letter, Paul challenges and in fact commands them to get back to work because this was in keeping with the Christian principles that they were taught and which they also saw in Paul’s own example while he was with them. At first reading, you may wonder how is this text related to children as my topic intimates but as we continue to reflect you can see that as far as Paul was concerned, the Thessalonian brethren were young children in the faith and he needed to ensure that they had the right foundation.
Earlier in First Thessalonians chapters two and three Paul’s parental concern for the young church comes through in his anxiety to know how they are doing. He had to leave them abruptly because of an uproar that had been created by some jealous Judaizers to the point where his very life was in danger. Now he was very worried about how they might be doing in light of ongoing persecution.
None of us who regard ourselves as good loving parents do not have parental anxiety from time to time about our children’s welfare even when they are adults themselves. This level of parental love and concern even to the point of anxiety forms the backdrop to Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian church.
As we reflect further on the text for today which is Second Thessalonians 3:6-13, Paul deals with other areas of concern just as a parent would do for his or her child. Let us look at and reflect on some of these lessons that are important for both parents and children as we live this life.
- Teach what is right and good.
First of all, Paul addresses the apparent laziness that has set in among some of the believers who are waiting for the second coming of Christ. As they wait they have essentially stopped living thinking that carrying on their daily lives was no longer important. In addressing this flawed belief, Paul again highlights an important parental role which is to teach their children what is right and good. So here, Paul warns the believers to keep their distance from those who are not living according to what they have all been taught. (See 2Thess. 3:6) In First Thessalonians chapter 4, we see a summary of Paul’s teaching to the Thessalonian believers and one of the clear admonitions is to “work with your hands” (See 1Thess. 4:11), a clear message that it is through daily labor that one is able to gain respect and keep out of trouble. This is a lesson we also teach to our young ones today. It is the responsibility of parents and adults as a whole to teach our youth and all who look up to us the important lessons of life, and by so doing ensure as far as possible that our young ones get the right foundation for their future endeavours. That foundation is laid when values and principles that are beneficial to society as a whole are embedded into the minds and hearts of our children. One important lesson as an example is the importance of learning to work for one’s own income and to do so honestly. Another important lesson to be taught by parents to their children is to be helpful rather than become a nuisance to other people.
- The best lessons are taught by example.
As Paul continues to admonish those who were showing lack of industry or the willingness to work, he used himself and his fellow labourers as an example of what he was saying. In essence he was saying to them that he worked among them to earn his own keep because he did not want to be a burden to them even though he had every right to demand something from them for the work he was doing among them. Paul was in essence saying, Look at me. In the same way I worked hard to provide for myself while I was among you, so too you should work to provide for yourselves. This is godly practice.
The question that arises here friends is obvious. What kinds of examples do we show to our youth? Many of us are good at telling others what to do or how they should be living but do our lives provide a consistent message with what we say to them? The lesson here is that example is always better than precept or as some others say, actions speak louder than words.
- Never give up on doing what is good or right for all.
The last lesson to be taken from this text is about doing good. In closing his letter, Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they must never get tired of doing what is right or good. The Greek word for tire speaks to the idea of giving up or getting frustrated or getting discouraged. What Paul was actually saying is that one should never give up or get tired or frustrated in doing what is right or good. Now if there was anybody who should have gotten tired of doing what is right, it would have been Paul. Few persons exist who gave of themselves to the Lord’s ministry as Paul did and reaped only bad things in return. He faced abuse, hardships, scarcity, abandonment by many of his friends and associates, prison and myriad forms of persecution, yet he had nothing but love to give and a forgiving heart for those who persecuted him and did everything they could to defame him and destroy all he was doing for the sake of the gospel of Jesus. We too will have to teach our young ones and even young believers in the faith as a life lesson that they must never get tired or discouraged in doing what is good especially when it does not seem to have rewards or benefits to it. In fact, doing good demands that you do things to benefit others, not necessarily yourself. Good deeds are oftentimes sacrificial but those are the times that you are truly doing God’s work. Doing good means living a life that is conscious of others’ needs oftentimes ahead of your own needs. This is not instinctive behaviour to most people. We do good, yes, when it is convenient, but certainly not if it’s at a great cost to ourselves. The challenge therefore, is to teach our young ones by our own example and our words that we must always endeavour to live our lives doing what is good and right, especially when it might not be the easiest thing to do. This is the Christ-like way to live. Is this the lesson we were taught as we were growing up? Is this the lesson we impart by word and example to our children and grandchildren today?
As you may have noticed I entitled the message for today, ‘Lessons for All Children’ and the reason for doing this is two-fold.
First of all, we mark Children’s Sunday today by reflecting on the primary role that adults have in the life of our youth. This is to nurture them which involves giving physical and emotional care and it also involves guiding and teaching them the values that society holds as virtuous and uplifting, not only for themselves but society at large wherever they may go. Teaching them these values at a young age is as important as attending to their physical needs and desires.
Secondly, I have entitled it in this way because it also speaks to us as adults because we all are children in God’s sight and we all must be taught, and in some cases, be reminded of what is right and good in God’s eyes. Many of us are still children, even immature children, whose spiritual foundations have not yet been properly laid. Some of us still need to be taught by the word and the example of others in the faith how to embody what is right and good and above all Christ-like.
In this light then, we can see why Paul’s message to the Thessalonian believers given as a loving parent to his beloved children, had in it lessons to be learnt and taken to heart and lived out by both young children and by us adult believers, the spiritually grown children that we are, as well.
It’s my prayer that we will all go from here today reminded that we are all children before God and there are still important spiritual lessons to be learnt as we live out the gospel message in the world and as we prepare ourselves for life eternal thereafter.
May God continue to speak to us and teach us now and as long as He grants us all the precious breath of life. Amen.