Remember “All” With Fondness
Have we forgotten to thank God for our brothers and sisters in Christ?
I think far too often we take for granted those who sit next to us in church. We see them every Sunday; know their kids and where they work. But have we taken the time to thank them for their love and devotion to God?
We need to take the time to thank God for their faithfulness.
Now I know that you might be thinking, yeah, I can to that for the missionaries, and yes, it is something I need to do every day. But not so in so who sits in church. They don’t do anything. They’re not faithful.
To this sort of thinking Paul’s admonition rings out when he said that the first thing he does is thank God for all the believers in Rome.
“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8).
The emphasis is on “all.” I am sure that there were some Christians who were not as faithful as others. But Paul made no distinction, and neither should we. Remember that in judging others of their shortcomings, we’re judging ourselves as well (Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 6:37).
Encouragement and appreciation go a long way. Even though someone might not be keeping up their end as they should, thank them for what they have done. Yes, our work should be done not to please others but God, but a little thank you goes a long way.
Further, the church is a whole body where everyone plays their part, whether that part is large or small. And when the church is fulfilling its role, then it too will be spoken of throughout the whole world.
So, remember with fondness “all” of our brothers and sisters in Christ.