We read in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-9 how St. Paul is our model. He said, “We instruct you, brothers, in the name of [our] Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who conducts himself in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us. For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us.”
It is interesting how St. Paul had to point out to the Thessalonians – and so to us – that he did not act in a disorderly way. He wasn’t self-righteous. He didn’t feel entitled. It made me think of how we are today, of all the ranting we hear on talk radio, podcasts, and reality TV. How do you react to the news of the day? There’s plenty to get riled up about – war, terrorism, pandemics, political vitriol. Does that mean we have a right to act in a disorderly way? Do bad news and ideological differences give us license to yell, scream, rant and rave?
No. Consider Paul’s message. He instructs us to imitate him and he offers us an excellent model to follow. We know from his letters that he worked tirelessly for the wellbeing of the communities he evangelized. He rightfully could have demanded payment for his work. Instead, he asked only that we embrace the Gospel truth of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is our best example. Only once did Jesus rail against the practices of His day – when he overturned the money-changers’ tables. Otherwise, He did not speak out against the government; He spoke to individuals’ hearts.
St. Paul offers a great example of seeking first the kingdom of God. How can we imitate his example of putting God first in our lives? He shows us how to persevere through all the drudgery of daily trials as we strive to build God’s kingdom like he did.
How can you imitate Paul’s model and build your legacy of kindness and generosity for the good of your family and community? Can you strive like Paul to honor God in all that you say and do. St. Anthony is credited with saying, “Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak.”
Photo Credit: Robert Davis
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