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As the national holiday of Thanksgiving approaches,
most of us will take time to consider the many blessings we have
to be thankful for. We are all so richly blessed and we often
take for granted the many things God has done for us. We often
fail to give thanks for what we have, and the thought of giving
thanks to God for the blessings that others have received doesn't
cross our minds as much as it should. One of the truly amazing
things about the apostle Paul was his willingness to thank God
for the work and blessings of others. When you consider all
the suffering Paul went through for the sake of others, it makes
it that much more awesome to consider. Take some time to read
2 Corinthians 11: 23-28. Paul would often begin his epistles
by expressing appreciation for the work, faith, and dedication
of the Christians he wrote to. Let's examine several examples
of Paul giving thanks to God for what others did, and hopefully
we will learn how to live better for God while developing a deeper
appreciation for the work of others. 1. Paul thanked God for a congregation's example of faith. In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Rom. 1:8). He was thankful that their faith was being talked about and their influence was a benefit to others. Paul had never been to Rome, and he had not personally met with the congregation there, but he was appreciative of their faith in God. How often do we express thanks for all the other congregations in the Lord's church whose faith is so strong? Paul was thinking of the big picture and how the Roman congregation was affecting the universal church. 2. Paul thanked God for Christians who were blessed and enriched by God. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "I thank my God…that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge" (1 Cor. 1:4-5). Paul was thankful that other Christians were receiving the blessings of God. We see the selflessness of Paul in this statement. Remember, Paul had suffered a great deal, but he was always thankful for the blessings and growth of others. Are we? 3. Paul thanked God for the fellowship that other Christians have. Paul told the church in Philippi, "I thank my God…for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now" (Phil. 1:3-5). Paul understood the importance of Christian fellowship, and he realized that the fellowship we are blessed with is not only with other Christians, but also with Jesus Christ. 4. Paul thanked God for Christians who labor for the Lord. He told the church at Thessalonica, "We give thanks to God always…remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 1:2-3). 5. Paul thanked God for the dedicated faith of a young Christian. Paul wrote to Timothy, "I thank God…when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you" (2 Tim. 1:3-5). Paul and Timothy had worked side by side. Timothy was Paul's son in the faith. After they separated, Paul continued to be thankful for the dedicated and genuine faith of Timothy. What a source of encouragement for Timothy to know that Paul was thankful to God for him and his faith. Do we show the same appreciation for our fellow Christian's faith and dedication today? -Ed |