Tag Archive for: 1 thessalonians

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The Fruit of Generosity

If you are like me, when you hear the word “generosity,” you immediately think of someone giving a significant gift like money. But have you ever considered that being generous might also mean giving someone the benefit of the doubt?

Think about it. Instead of jumping to the worst possible conclusions, you might consider that they are doing the best they can. Before jumping to conclusions, consider what they might be experiencing within themselves, their families, or their life situation?

Brené Brown, in her book, Dare to Lead, writes that generosity is giving others the benefit of the doubt and generously interesting their motives.

As a follower of Jesus, living a holy life, filled with God’s love, generosity is a fruit you produce. Paul gives a description of the soil for cultivating the fruit of generosity.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18

Make sure no one repays a wrong with a wrong, but always pursue the good for each other and everyone else. Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Reflect on 1 Thessalonians 5

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes about how to treat difficult people and then moves to how to cultivate an inner posture of joy, prayer, and gratitude.

He begins with relationships. When someone hurts you. Often your immediate response is retaliation. “You hurt me, so I’ll hurt you.” Paul says that as a follower of Jesus, you are to break that cycle. He doesn’t say “Don’t retaliate.” He says, “Always seek to do good.”

The point is that you don’t simply avoid revenge; you look for ways to bless, heal, reconcile, and serve others, even when they don’t deserve it. To seek the good of others is to love them. You love them even if they hurt you. You always seek to do good to those who mistreat you.

Then he says, “rejoice always.” Your deepest joy isn’t determined by whether life is going well. Your joy comes from knowing that God is always with you. You can experience sadness, brief disappointment, and even anger while still possessing a deeper joy. Joy is not the denial of pain and disappointment. Joy is rooted in the confidence of God’s presence in the midst of the pain and disappointment.

Then comes the direction to “Pray continually.” Paul instructs his readers to develop a life in which conversation with God becomes woven into everything you do. You live in the ongoing awareness of God. Prayer becomes a posture, a way of living, a way to approach every situation and circumstance.

Then, give thanks in all situations and circumstances. Paul doesn’t say to “give thanks for all circumstances.” He says, “to give thanks in all circumstances.” You don’t have to be thankful for grief, injustice, betrayal, or suffering. But even in those circumstances, you can find reason to say, “God, I am grateful that you are with me in the midst of this.

Gratitude changes the way you see your circumstances. It might change the situation, but it allows for the opportunity to acknowledge that God is with you, and nothing can separate you from God.

Paul provides fertile soil of generosity. Rooted in generosity, you respond with goodness rather than retaliate. You cultivate joy, remain connected to God, and practice gratitude when you cultivate generosity. This is a life shaped by the character of Jesus.

Respond to 1 Thessalonians 5 

How will you be generous today?

Brené Brown defines being generous as extending the “most generous interpretation possible” to the intentions, words, and actions of others. Giving others the benefit of the doubt and generously interpreting their motives.

Maybe you can think of this way.

What’s Your Most Generous Interpretation?

I read recently of a mother who was teaching her two children what they might expect in a new school environment. She had taught them to be kind and genuine and how to navigate the complexities of the new school.

At the end of one school day, her oldest daughter began to explain about the most recent incident of bullying, hurt feelings, and distress. Although the mother had taught her children to use their words, seek adult support, and defend themselves, the “lessons were lost in the heat of this moment.” She declared, “Why didn’t you simply put the girl in her place?” Her words were a direct command to end bullying once and for all.

Her youngest child replied, “Mom, something hard must be going on in her life. Maybe we should pray for her.” The words coming from her first-grader stung, and the mother immediately regretted what she had said.


The decision not to repay a wrong with a wrong is a way of living that results from our desire to express gratitude rather than fear. It is a lifestyle that includes an attitude of kindness and generosity even in the face of unfairness. It requires continually cultivating holy habits that foster a better world for everyone.


It is difficult to be a positive witness of God’s love without aligning your words and actions. Nothing will be solved by repaying wrong actions with wrong actions. When we see and experience wrongs, choose a different path. The path of generosity reflects the love you have received in and through Jesus.


What kind of community would exist if we truly cared about each other? How different would our world be if we were generous with the people around us, in the decisions we make, and in the actions we take?

In a world where bullying, meanness, selfishness, and greed exist, choose to respond from a place of generosity and actively work for the good of everyone. Generosity requires us to live like Jesus, in a Christlike manner, which is often counter to the world’s view.

So, how will you be generous today?

Return 

Give thanks for the people you encountered today. In what ways were you generous with them? In what ways did you assist others in being generous?  With whom do you need to celebrate the generosity you have experienced in and through them? What will you do differently tomorrow?

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Gratitude Shapes Effective Leadership

If I could give you one quality gift, I would give you the gift of gratitude. If I could have God do anything for you, I would ask that God make you a grateful person. Gratitude is the fundamental value of being a follower of Jesus, it impacts who you are and everything you do.

Gratitude Must Be Cultivated

Even at that, of all the values named, discussed, and implemented, gratitude is the easiest to dismiss when it comes to leadership. Too often, it is seen as something extra and unnecessary. It is for that very reason, that gratitude must be cultivated and practiced. You might think that you will automatically feel gratitude when you have reached a particular position, or accomplished a specific objective, or made the right decision that helps reach a difficult goal. The assumption is that gratitude is a mysterious force that shows up when you succeed or when you feel all is right with the world. 

The reality is that gratitude does not appear at the moment when things are unfolding perfectly. It is not magically bestowed on some and not on others based on whether you are successful or not. It is not dependent on what is happening around you. You cultivate gratitude. It is a foundational building block to who you are as a person. It is so foundational that you might think it is too simplistic or basic to be included as a leadership value. You might also think that expressing gratitude is obvious, but let me say again, gratitude is something you cultivate as you practice it. 

To cultivate your gratitude, read Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians, particularly I Thessalonians 5:18:

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Reflect 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all situations and circumstances because it is God’s desire for you to have gratitude: “…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Paul writes those words to the church in Thessalonica while they are struggling to be a community of Jesus followers. When you read it as it was written in the Greek, it is a litany that rhymes. 

Always…without ceasing…in all circumstances: Following Jesus involves every aspect of your life. Your faith is not a matter of how you feel at any given moment. It is about God’s grace and your response to what has already been done. It is not based upon your mood or upon “giving God his part,” but upon what God has done and is doing in and through Jesus.

Gratitude is your response to being a child of God. Gratitude becomes who you are as a follower of Jesus. Gratitude is the will of God for you. Said in another way, as a follower of Jesus, gratitude is shown in who you are in relation to God and to the people around you.

Gratitude shapes your leadership in the following ways:

Gratitude Brings Perspective

When you have every excuse to focus on what is not going right, gratitude allows you to see things from a new perspective. The more you practice it, the more you adapt to feeling and expressing it. Developing a practice of gratitude allows you to become the leader for this time and place. “…give thanks in all circumstances…”

O God, create a pure heart in me and put a right spirit in me, for blessed are the pure in heart they will see you. Shape my perspective to always see you in every situation and circumstance in which I find myself.  Amen

Gratitude Brings Appreciation

Think about a time when you felt like you were in an unfamiliar place. Whether geographically or relationally, you felt uncomfortable and unsure of yourself. Maybe you were in a new place surrounded by people you didn’t know. Maybe you were responsible for some unpopular decision. Or maybe you just wanted people to be happy with you and you could not control their perceptions or reactions. Whatever the situation, you just didn’t feel good about being there. 

As you reflect upon that time, what are your thoughts and feelings? What makes you uncomfortable or unsure of yourself? What about that experience can help you be a more effective leader? 

Now, take a moment to give God thanks for the experience. It might not be easy. You might not want to. But giving thanks will help you put the experience into perspective. It will help you focus more on the leader you are created to be. 

If you spend time wishing you were somewhere other than where you are, doing something other than what you are doing, you are creating and unnecessary and unhealthy anxiety for yourself and for the people around you. 

You don’t have to like where you are. You don’t have to like what you are doing. But if you are grateful for the places, you find yourself and for the opportunities presented to you, you will be able to lead into and through the challenges you face. The truth is, even amid the unfamiliar and unknown, you can always find things for which you are grateful.

O God, put me where you want and help me be content. If I can’t be content, make me faithful. Thank you for being with me wherever I am and with whatever I am doing. Amen

Gratitude Brings Love for Your Neighbor

Think about the people in your life you like being around. What do they do that draws you to them? Do they help you feel good about yourself? Do they offer you affirmation and support?

Now think about a time that you, as a leader, gave someone praise and affirmation? How did it make you feel? How did the person respond to you? Gratitude is infectious. It celebrates the goodness of God found in the people you encounter. Gratitude helps to build and repair relationships. It draws people in, encourages them to engage, and models for them the practice of gratitude. Your gratitude shows your love for God and for your neighbor.

So, let’s go one step farther. Who are the people you try to avoid; the people that drain you of positive energy, who are combative, and disagreeable? 

As you think about each person, what are you learning about yourself? What makes you feel good about some people and causes you to avoid others? How does your relationship with each person help you be a more effective leader? 

Now, take a moment to give God thanks for each person who has come to mind. It will not be easy. You might feel that you have tried to get some of these people out of your life altogether. But giving thanks will help you put those relationships into perspective. You might even begin to love others as God in Christ has loved you. It is that perspective that will help you become the leader you are created to be. 

Whether it is a feel-good experience or an experience you want to avoid, expressing your gratitude helps make you become more aware of the gifts people offer in and through each encounter. The truth is each person contributes to your effectiveness as a leader. 

O God, make me aware of the people around me today. As I give you thanks for each person I meet, make me a blessing to someone, somewhere today. Amen.

Gratitude Improves Your Health

Like the muscles in your body, you can develop an attitude of gratitude. Research has shown that practicing gratitude creates a less critical and more compassionate relationship with others and a less punishing and more affirming relationship with yourself. When you practice gratitude, you become more emotionally healthy and are less likely to experience depression and anxiety. 

Dr. Robert A. Emmons, from the University of California in Davis, studied the impact of gratitude on physical health, psychological well-being, and relationships with others. What he found was that gratitude helps develop stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep patterns. 

He found that persons who practice gratitude are more alert and have a healthy self-awareness. They experience deeper joy, greater happiness, and are more hopeful than those who do not practice gratitude. He also found that gratitude helped people be more generous and compassionate and more forgiving. The people who practiced gratitude were less lonely and isolated. The truth is gratitude is a healthy practice of an effective leader. 

O God, I am grateful for the ways you are shaping my life in and through the people around me. Give me eyes to see how you come through each of them to help me become who you created me to be. Amen 

Gratitude Makes You Courageous

As a human being, you simply cannot listen to the voices of gratitude and fear at the same time. Your attention is either on one or the other. 

The times I struggle with gratitude the most are when I do not see my place in the bigger picture. When I am in the muddy and murky waters of fear, disappointment, and scarcity, I usually don’t see the opportunities and possibilities around me. But on the other hand, when I focus on gratitude, I am more optimistic, cooperative, and energized. 

Think about a particular challenge you are facing. Get the situation and/or the person clearly in your mind. Focus on the challenge. 

Now, with the situation or person in mind, name five things about the situation or the person for which you are grateful. Place these five things in your heart and mind. Now, what has happened to your fear? 

You simply cannot listen to the voices of gratitude and fear at the same time. Your attention will either be on one or the other. As a healthy human being and more specifically as an effective leader, it is your choice to make. God has created you to be a person of gratitude.

Most of the effective leaders I know, practice gratitude on a regular basis. When you consciously practice gratitude, in all situations and circumstances, you become a better leader, you model for the people around you, and you are a happier person.

O God, your perfect love casts out my fears. I give thanks for the situations and circumstances in which I am leading, and for the people through whom you reveal your love. Help me be so aware of your presence that all I say and do will bring you glory and work for the good of the people you have given me to love and serve. Amen. 

Effective and courageous leaders are shaped by gratitude. As you become a more grateful leader you will become a more effective leader. Who you are is how you lead.

Respond 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Over the next 5 days, take time each day to think about being grateful. 

Take note of the people who inspire you. Be aware of what makes you smile and what makes you take notice of special moments of inspiration.

Keep in mind that no person or experience is insignificant. Be aware of the person who starts a friendly conversation. Take notice of children laughing. Each experience is part of what makes you who you are. Pay attention to the small joys. The small joys are just as valuable as the big ones.

Reflect upon what makes your life easier? The alarm that reminds you to get up each morning? The water in the shower? Car? Umbrella? Cellphone? The list goes on. Take notice of what you are grateful for at the moment in which you are living? 

Think about past relationships. Upon whose shoulders are you standing? What do those people do to make life better for you? Why are you better off for having known them?

Give God thanks for the toughest relationship of the day. On my best days, I have come to experience sincere gratitude, even for difficult people, by looking for the good in my encounter with them.

Now, focus on yourself. Take a moment to give God thanks for who you are and what you like about yourself. Most of the time you quickly focus on what you don’t like about yourself. But when you practice gratitude, you can alter that negative cycle. What could happen if you, instead of focusing on your flaws, began to pay attention to what makes you most proud of yourself? Keep in mind, gratitude is God’s design for your life. It is so much a part of what God desires, who you are is how you lead.

O God, I give you thanks for my friends and colleagues who, through their gratitude, are helping me become more who you created me to be. I am grateful. Amen.

Return

As you reflect upon your day: With whom did you experience joy? How did you thank God or the people around you for the experience? To whom did you express your appreciation? What did you do to allow God’s love to flow through you to the people around you today? How were you reminded that you are a child of God and have been empowered to love others as God has loved you? How will gratitude become more a part of your life? How will you express your gratitude tomorrow? What will you do differently tomorrow? Ask God to give you the faith to be the leader God has created you to be.