A New Day

By: Pastor Johnie Akers

1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12, “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your owns hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”  A young lady was sunbathing on the beach when a little boy in his swimming trunks, carrying a towel, came up to her and asked her, “Do you believe in God?”  She was surprised by the question but she replied, “Why, yes, I do believe in God.”  Then he asked her: “Do you go to church every Sunday?”  Her answer was, “Yes.  I go to church every Sunday.”  He then asked, “Do you read your Bible and pray every day?”  Again she said, “Yes.”  “Do you give God His tithe every Sunday?”  “Yes, young man, I always give the Lord at least 10% of my gross income.” By now her curiosity was very much aroused.  The little ladsmiled, and sighed with relief and said, “Good!  Will you hold my quarter while I go swimming?”  I suppose a person could not blame the young man for his threshold of trust in finding someone to safeguard his financial resources.  But as comical as the story is, it illustrates a greater point—one of which is underscored by our text today.  There is a great need for men and women of integrity.  Paul the apostle, writing to the Christians in Thessalonica, reminds them (as he does us today), that as believers in Christ, we should maintain certain tenants of our faith not only in proclamation but in demonstration.  In simplistic terms, the text could be rendered as follows:  “Be quite.  Mind your own business.  Work hard.  Be honest.”  These precepts are not only for our benefit, or as Paul says “that ye may have lack of nothing,” but so we can be a greater witness to “them that are without”—that is, those who are not yet in the Kingdom of God.  So how are we measuring up to the standard of Christian witness?  It is a provocative question.  One in which we should aspire to attain, so the light of Christ may shine from our lives and bring those in darkness, into a bright new day.