I’m so impressed!

It’s no secret the constant barrage of messages from life coaches, self-identified motivators, and even preachers urging us to discard from our lives people who don’t feed the successes we pursue bothers me immensely.

The reason is the message isn’t biblical. In fact, it’s the opposite (with some exceptions) of what we often read in scripture.

We want people in our lives who celebrate us rather than challenge us. We want people who will watch us stop at a certain point in our growth and celebrate us for who we have become, instead of people who will exhort us to become more. We want people who are impressed with our story, rather than respond, “Okay, that’s cool. Now, what’s next?”

The Apostle Paul was one of those who exhorts us to “… even more.” Check this out:

“Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more,” 1 Thessalonians 4:1.

“But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more,” 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10.

Paul acknowledges what the Thessalonians had already achieved in their walk with God and in fellowship with each other was good, but then he challenges them to even more. And what you and I have accomplished so far may be good as well, but we need to heed the same challenge from Paul and strive for even more.

How can you live in a way that pleases God even more? How can you love one another even more? Or have you already perfected your walk and your love?

Scotty