The Grace Moves Us To Mutuality

“So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens” (1 Thessalonians 3 :1)

Paul never felt it compelling to labor alone. He saw it as a great sacrifice to send Timothy and be left in Athens alone. He loved and trusted his companions and fellow laborers in the faith. He did not want to part their company. Their loving presence gave him strength and encouragement to continue on and fight the good fight of faith.

         The grace at work in his heart continuously moved him toward mutuality. The fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ through the shared life of the Spirit sustained him and lightened his burdens. He had great concern for their welfare (2 Cor 2:12-13).

         Good news from afar from his beloved friends who were maintaining their faith brought joy to his heart. Paul knew that God-honoring advancement in kingdom labor would always be birthed through united effort and collaborative endeavor.

Through his own cooperative efforts he was modeling to his converts the power of community where every member of the body, energized by grace, is a vital contributing component. Paul never stood alone. In like manner his converts must not see themselves as self-sufficient.

Can today’s followers of Christ claim any less need of the reciprocal grace of the cross? Paul’s life is a reminder that in kingdom life isolation must be rejected, and loving fellowship and joyful interdependence must be embraced.