Heralds Digest

"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 NKJV) God's grace does not only provide man with good Spirit, it sustains man in godliness. Without the influence of the world and its worldliness, man has unlimited access to cruise from the terrestrial to the celestial. Therefore, man is daily saddled with the responsibility to response to the demand of the good Spirit and not the dictates of the flesh. Unfortunately, human sense of good is highly subjective to the interest of the flesh, even when the demand of the Spirit is clear. The rule of the thumb is that what is good for the flesh often disagrees with the tenets of godliness. And to quench the Spirit is to procrastinate the service of the Spirit in order to satisfy the interest of the flesh.

“See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15 NKJV) Goodness is an unreserved trait of godliness; and it is resident in everyone who is created in the image of God. Conversely, wickedness is an evil trait and alien to anyone. Unfortunately, evil rendering for evil appears a sign of good control. Actually, evil doers cover their weaknesses with wicked practices. A good strength of courage is measured by the resilience of a man to pursue goodness, especially in the midst of hostility. Evil spirit knows not the path of goodness; but good spirit does good always both for self and everyone.

"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV) Within or without self, the human gesture that does not seem to directly promote the relevance of, or the respect for, self appears irrelevant. It is natural for anyone to only show appreciation when his expressions of need (to either God or man) are welcomed. Unexpectedly, man is called to always be grateful for the combination of the relevance and the irrelevance toward his life. Even while the relevance of human contribution is dispensed, the heart of gratitude represents an indispensable virtue of life.