Do Even More

30 Aug

Brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God — 
and as you are conducting yourselves —
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.  (1 Thes 4:1-2)

I remember my high school band teacher.

He would regularly chide us when we were working on a piece for marching band or concert or contest.  He would chide us through different levels of performance:

  1. Fair but not good
  2. Good but not better
  3. Better but not perfect

And just when we would perfect a piece, he would say, Perfect but not awesome!

He would want us to get to know the piece(s) we were playing inside and out.  We needed to play them proficiently, technically perfect, and yet perform them with passion.  The “awesome” would not be able to come about unless — and until — we placed our heart and soul into the piece(s).

That is what St. Paul is telling the Church in Thessalonica in today’s reading.

They already know what to do.  They are in the “fair” to “good” part of the faith.

However, they are not yet perfected in the faith, nor are they living it with the passion that will draw others to it as well.

We are reminded to do even more today.  We may be fair members of the faith.  We may be good members of the faith.  Heck, we may even have perfected lots of the faith.  But, have we poured everything we are into the faith?  Do we live it passionately?  Does it consume us?

If not, we have further to go!

FAITH ACTION:  Do not rest on your laurels.  Ask yourself what more you can do for the Lord today.