7 Secrets for a Blessed Relationship
1 Thessalonians (19) Seven secrets for a blessed relationship (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15)
1. Unite around the leader (verses 12-13)
The Apostle Paul challenges the Thessalonians to love and be reconciled with spiritual leaders as the center (verses 12-13). Humans must have a leader even when there are only two people together. The importance of a good leader cannot be overemphasized. A community without good leaders even when talented people gather is a mess. On the other hand, even if people who are not competent gather together, when they unite around a good leader, the power to change the world comes out of it. Understanding and cooperating with the leader's situation, and knowing how to value the leader the most, is the foundation of a blessed human relationship (verse 13).
2. Admonish the lazy (verse 14)
At that time, lazy church members said they believed in Jesus and tried to live only by the virtues of others. You have to work hard to see your own virtue and make many people live. Living only by the virtues of others is a lazy act and an act without love. When the apostle Paul sees such laziness, he challenges us to advise them wisely. Do not leave the exhortation to sweat based on God's holy will only to the final leader. If you think that it is a clear mistake that everyone acknowledges, when you realize the mistake wisely and humbly, the relationship becomes a blessed one.
3. Encourage the weak (verse 14)
The problem with the church today is that it does not exist without love. There is love, but the problem is that you only want to share that love with people close to you. Real love lies in reaching out and encouraging people who are unfamiliar and marginalized. What is Maturity? That's good encouragement. Blessed saints are like mist flowers that build up and encourage someone from behind. Even a beautiful flower stands out when the mist flower supports it from behind. A person who harmonizes well with anyone like a mistletoe and quietly dedicates and encourages them from behind becomes the protagonist of a blessed relationship.
4. Support the weak (verse 14)
The scariest thing for a person is not the 'weakness'. Rather, it is more terrifying to be unable to properly use the power you have. Then it collapses rapidly like a ship with a broken rudder. Why did God give you strength? It was not given to boast and show off, but to support those who lack strength. Above all, do your best to save lost souls using your power. There are many stray sheep around now. The most important purpose of God's salvation and various blessings is to find lost souls with those blessings.
5. Be patient with everyone (verse 14)
There is never a case where you can't be patient and be good at relationships. Don't rush to fix your opponent. It is much better and faster to use only half of that energy to heal itself. Rather than judging what is right and wrong too much, it is important to consider the other person's point of view and show patience. However, one thing to keep in mind regarding long-suffering life is that “suffering long” and “suffering forever” are two different things. When you need to be reproached after being patient, you need to be brave to rebuke, and justice and order will be established and human relationships will be established.
6. Do not repay evil for evil (verse 15).
Humans have an instinct to repay evil with evil, so they have to take their anger out on someone to release their intuition. The biggest reason the church is experiencing difficulties today is because they come out to the church to relieve their anger. The church is not a place to release your inner self and release your anger, but a place to hold God's wishes in your heart and fulfill those wishes. If I hold on to God's wishes and try to fulfill them, God grants my wishes and grants them. If you leave it to God to take revenge and don't even pray for revenge, God will pay you back and restore more than you've lost.
7. Treat everyone with goodness (verse 15).
All human beings are weak and lacking, so even their own children sometimes drive a nail into their hearts. There is nothing left to say. Understand people's weaknesses and try to be as good as possible. Then even elements can be forgiven, and if you forgive, miraculous works will also appear. Also, when you forgive, do not forgive conditionally. Also, some say “Even if you forgive, you cannot forget. Do not appear before me in the future.” Such appearances are not true forgiveness. True forgiveness is believing in God's final good and letting go of the one who has done you harm.