1 Thessalonians 3:6-13: a reflection

6But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you. 7For this cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith. 8For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. 9For what thanksgiving can we give again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God, 10night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith? 11Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all men, even as we also do toward you, 13to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Timothy returns to Paul with good news, that the Thessalonian believers are standing firm in their faith and love, and Paul's response reveals how deeply he cares. We were comforted about you in all our distress and affliction through your faith, he says; for now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. Now we really live. Paul's own well-being, even in his hardships, rises and falls with the spiritual health of the people he loves.

Notice how bound up Paul's joy is with others' faith. It is not a mild interest; their standing firm in the Lord is, he says, life to him. When they flourish spiritually, he flourishes; their faithfulness comforts him in his own affliction. He asks, what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy we feel because of you? This is love that has genuinely tied its own joy to the spiritual thriving of others.

That is a beautiful and challenging picture of how to love people. We often keep our own happiness insulated from others' spiritual state, mildly glad when they do well but not deeply invested. Paul shows a love so bound up with others that their walking faithfully with God is his very life. Whom do you love that way, so that their standing firm in the Lord would be joy and life to you? Let your care for others reach that deep, and pray for them as Paul did, that they would increase and abound in love. Their flourishing in God can be your joy.

Lord, Paul's very life and joy were bound up with the faith of those he loved, so that their standing firm in you was life to him. Give me that kind of love, so invested in others' spiritual flourishing that their walking faithfully with you brings me deep joy. Help me care that much, and to pray for those I love that they would increase and abound in love.