Note: Due to an early start today for chaplain visitation followed by a trip to the shore we will not produce a podcast today. We will be out tomorrow (Friday, 10/9/15) and will not post a new message. We expect to resume Monday 10/12/15.

"But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good" (2 Thessalonians 3:13).

Several months ago we shared a message about one of the more colorful employees we visit in the course of our chaplain ministry. Joe, AKA J. Diesel, is a professional wrestler who also works at Smucker Laser, a company that uses huge laser machines to cut sheets of metal.

Yesterday I asked Joe about his wrestling and he told me that he was a "bad guy" in the ring. I asked him how he liked being a bad guy and he informed me that it was actually easier being the bad guy than the good one. Brooksyne opined that it was probably also more fun (she's had a few opportunities to act in a character role where she was the bad person)!

"It's easier being bad" actually expresses a spiritual truth. Think about it - it is easier being bad than good! After all each of us has a sinful nature and are just inclined to doing bad. I recall one time my pastor pointing out how you don't have to teach your kids to be bad. It comes quite naturally.

Doing bad is so often the path of least resistance. But God calls us to be good as a result of redemption. Psalm 34:14 states, "Depart from evil and do good." Paul wrote to Timothy about a foundational role of the pastor, "Instruct them to do good" (1 Timothy 6:18). Peter wrote encouraging his readers to live a godly life, “He must turn away from evil and do good" (2 Peter 3:11).

In the daily text the Apostle Paul is concluding his second epistle to the young Thessalonian believers. The broader context of the passage has to do with some faulty notions these young believers had about the return of Christ. The immediate context deals with living our lives in the daily grind, summarized with the phrase of the daily text "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good." That's a good word for all of us.

Bible teacher David Guzek comments, that there are many excuses one might make to allowing weariness in doing good, but they should all be rejected.

• "It takes so much effort to keep doing good" - but you will extend effort towards the things of the world.
• "It takes so much self-denial to keep doing good" - but it is worth it when we consider the reward.
• "It just brings me persecution to do good" - but your persecutions are nothing compared to that which others have suffered.
• "People don't respond and there are little results when I do good" - but remember how slow you were to respond to Jesus Christ.
• "It doesn't earn much gratitude when I do good" - but God sends many blessings even to those who do not thank or appreciate Him.

The real stuff of the Christian life is choosing this particular day and every day to do what is good. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we're tempted way too often to behave badly, in big ways and little ways. Grant us a firm resolve to do good whatever the cost. Above all, remind us through Your Holy Spirit, that we choose to do good because it pleases You. May the fulfillment of pleasing You be of much greater importance than pleasing or impressing those among us. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

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"With all I Am"  Video

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