Xanthe Hancox

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.  1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

Paul wrote this letter to Christians in a city where they were greatly pressured and persecuted for their faith. He reminds them of a crucial fact: God chose them to be his own. Their salvation was not a matter of their choice or it did not come about by chance. It was based on God’s gracious choice, one he had already made in eternity and promised to keep for eternity.

When Paul started the church in Thessalonica, his message and ministry gained credibility because of the kind of men he and his team proved to be while living among the Thessalonians. It might have been tempting for the new Thessalonian Christians to shrug their shoulder and leave spreading the gospel to Paul, but he reminds them to also reflect Jesus to those around them. Both for the early Christian Church and for us today, there’s nothing like the daily routine of our lives to show others how Jesus influences us, whether it’s our relationships with our family and friends, how we approach work, how trials effect us, and even the mundane issues like shopping for groceries or getting stuck in traffic.

Reflecting Jesus happens best when we simply live among people. How can you be more intentional about opening your life to others so they can see that you are chosen and loved by God and how Jesus is at work in your life?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding me that I am loved and chosen by you. Help me to consciously reflect you in all that I do today.