Jump Start # 3147

2 Thessalonians 3;13 “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”

Good…goodness…these are qualities of walking with Christ. In Titus we find: loving what is good (1:8); teaching what is good (2:3); being an example of good (2:7); zealous for good deeds (2:14); ready for every good deed (3:1); engage in good deeds (3:8, 14). The Galatians were told to do good to all people, especially the people of God. Goodness is one of  the fruits of the Spirit.

Let’s put some thought into the idea of doing good:

First, goodness is manifested and illustrated by what we do. Many a good idea or a good thought is never put into action. We may think of great things to do, but if we never do them, then we are not doing good. A team can spend too long in the huddle thinking of what they ought to do. There comes a time to execute the play. “I was going to send you a card,” or, “I was going to drop by the funeral home,” are empty words. I was going to, actually means, I didn’t do it. I was too busy for you. I forgot about you. I didn’t think about you. A good person is one who does good. That’s where we must start.

Second, there is an internal satisfaction that comes from doing good. When you choose to say words that uplift rather than tear down, that not only helps the person who hears you, but it makes you feel good. You did what was right. You did something good. The little acts of kindness and love that we share with others helps us with our priorities and reminds us that the seeds of goodness do make a difference. It simply feels good to do good.

Third, there are so many different ways every day that we can do good. The opportunities are all around us. At school, at work, in the neighborhood, in the family, in the church family, those sweet words of encouragement, those “that’a boy” shout outs, those “thinking of you” texts and phone calls all change the world for some.

The problem we encounter is choosing which good to do. Everywhere you look, people need some sunshine and kindness. Our times are angry, selfish and demanding. To be the opposite is a choice and it is noticed. One can feel overwhelmed with all the people that need some goodness. The list is long. Don’t try to tackle them all at once. Start small. Put some thought and prayer into what you want to do. Then do some good.

Fourth, goodness is a characteristic of our Lord. Peter’s words to Cornelius said that Jesus “went about doing good.” You aren’t the first to do good. The good that you do should not come with expectations such as some form of payback or a thank you or goodness in return. That spirit ruins the good that is being done. No strings attached. Not a loan, but a gift. You do good not because someone deserves it. You do good because that’s what Jesus did. You do good because that’s what Jesus wants you to do. You do good because it makes a difference.

Our verse reminds us not to become weary in doing good. When that happens, a person stops. When that happens, one begins to complain. “Why are others not helping out?” “Why does it always fall to me?” And, with that, we stand with worrisome Martha who interrupted Jesus because Mary wasn’t helping her. Helping someone move will make you tired. But you can recover from that quickly. The weariness Paul has in mind in our verse does not come from tired muscles, but rather a tired spirit. And, when one gets that way, take a short break. Recharge. Energize yourself. But quickly, very quickly, get back onto the field of doing good. You are needed and the helpers are so few.

I expect just about all of us could run through our past and find multiple times when people have been good to us. Many of us wouldn’t be where we are today had it not been for the kindness of others. Don’t forget those moments. They tend to keep us thankful and they keep us going when we become weary.

Doing good—let’s do it!

Roger

Jump Start # 2614

2 Thessalonians 3:13 “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”

Our verse today sounds as if they could be the words of a coach telling his players to stay with it, keep going. Weary. Don’t get weary. Paul told the Galatians a similar thing. I find that interesting. Different letters to different churches in different times. Yet, both were told, do not grow weary.

Weariness can lead to discouragement. A person can just feel overwhelmed. There is just so much to do and I can’t seem to get ahead. Weariness comes in different forms. Most know physical weariness. Using muscles you haven’t used in a while and the next day you feel it. You help a friend move on a Saturday morning. That Saturday morning stretches into Saturday evening. By then you are tired. You are ready to just plop in a chair and do nothing. I know that feeling. A day or two later and you are back 100%.

But there are other forms of weariness. There is emotional and mental weariness. A long time addiction in the family wears the family out. Here we go again, someone says. Arrested again. Fell off the wagon, again. Needing money, again. Lost another job, again. It’s that “again,” stuff that wears on you. You love them and want the best for them, but you wonder when, if ever, they are going to pull themselves together.

In our verse, it’s yet another form of being tired. It’s weary of doing good. It’s tired of serving others and helping out others. This is such a wonderful and noble job, one might think that those folks never get tired. But they do. Both here and in Galatians, the direction is towards those who are doing good. Why might a person get tired of doing good? The upside is so wonderful and beneficial.

First, servants get tired when they feel like so few are helping out. There is that 80-20 effect in organizations. 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. That’s generally true. What are the rest doing? Who knows. And, after a while it’s expressed as, “Why do we always have to take the food?” “Why do I always have to teach the class?” “Why can’t anyone else do anything?” The voice of weariness is beginning to surface. So many people and so few doing much has always burdened those that serve.

Second, there are times when servants would like to be served. It’d be great, one says, if someone brought me some food once in a while. But it doesn’t happen. Most just don’t think that way. And, the weary servant starts to feel neglected, jealous and wishing someone would notice what he is doing.

Third, there are times when it seems the good done is not noticed or appreciated. A few spend all day Saturday cleaning the church building. It looks amazing. No one says a word. They wonder if anyone even noticed. Hours are poured into helping a young, struggling family get things turned around in their lives. That young couple steps it up spiritually. No one, not even the young couple that was helped, offers any gratitude or appreciation for what was done. Long phone calls calming a member down. Hours of answering questions. So few even know about these things. This is common for most shepherds. They do not get paid for this. Their time is just as important as yours. They keep us moving. They keep us together. And, someone gets upset and angry with them because things are not the way this one person wants it. The elder wonders late at night, ‘why do I do this?’

Paul’s words are, ’do not grow weary.’ That’s easy to say. How can one not be weary when there is so much to be done? If I don’t do it, who will? So, the weary soldier of Christ trudges on. The weariness of the soul can make him grumpy and even discouraged. Do not get weary. Great Paul. How do we avoid this? What’s the solution?

Here are some thoughts:

First, find others to labor with you. You don’t have to be the martyr who does it all. Ask others to help. Many will, if asked. Some don’t have the eyes to see what there is to be done, but when asked they will gladly do their part. Working with others helps keep you fresh. It brings in other ideas and ways to do things. It kills the loneliness and isolation that you have felt before. This is why the church is overseen by an “eldership,” not just a lone elder. A group of godly men to encourage each other and to share the load. Others can make a difference.

Second, keep the Lord in the picture. The good you are doing is for the Lord. These are the Lord’s people. This is the Lord’s place. It’s not yours, but His. Keep that in mind. That helps.

Third, recognize others who are serving. Even if no one recognizes what you are doing, you can help lift the load of another by complimenting and praising the efforts of others. Encouragement is fresh air to the weary soul. If you can’t be the one to help out, you can be the one on the sidelines who supports and cheers on those who do serve. Not all can be shepherds, but we can certainly support, encourage and defend our shepherds. Not all can teach, but we can certainly make the teacher feel that his efforts were appreciated.

Fourth, take an emotional break and vacation from the work. Take time to sharpen your axe, so you can work harder and better. Find ways to let your mind rest. Refocus. Come back in fresh and strong and ready to do more good. You don’t have to go anywhere for a mental vacation. Just find ways to relax, reconnect and jump back in with more energy and freshness. It’s the tired preacher that becomes boring. It’s the tired teacher that finds shortcuts rather than doing his homework. Shepherds need to recognize when the servants are tired. They need to pull some off the bench and let the weary take a break. In many religious organizations, leaders take sabbaticals to keep fresh. They are sent to conferences to learn more. They are given time off to read and develop more material. We don’t do those things much in our fellowship. We keep plowing until the old mule collapses in exhaustion or burnout. Maybe it’s time we put some thought into better ways to keep our leaders going.

Finally, our passage is about doing good. Heaven recognizes good that is done. Doing good. Helping others. Teaching. Being a friend. Encouraging. Making things better. All these take time but the upside is enormous. You are helping a soul on this journey to Heaven. You are making a difference. And, most, if not all of us, can see that there has been others in our lives that have given us a hand and helped us. Doing good. Being engaged in good deeds. Making a difference. It’s not about us. It’s not about getting recognized. It’s about helping someone.

So, weary soul, keep it up. Don’t stop until the Lord stops you. There is much to do and you can’t do it all, especially in one day. Have a plan. Get organized. Be efficient. And, do what you can.

Roger

Jump Start # 2289

2 Thessalonians 3:13 “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.”

Spiritual weariness—this is mentioned in Galatians, Hebrews, and here. We may not use that term. Instead, we may use the common expression, ‘burnout.’ The symptoms are all too common: exhausted spirit; sapped energy; dried up motivation. This is something that the workers and the servants in the kingdom struggle with and face. The lazy never experience burnout. The indifferent never know burnout. The non-committed don’t understand spiritual burnout. They are on the sidelines of the kingdom with one toe in the water. It’s the teachers, the shepherds, the preachers, the servants in the kingdom, those who are carrying the load, those who are trying so hard, those who are making a difference, that weariness can be a problem.

There are four stages of burnout.

First, disillusionment. Focus is lost. Vision becomes blurry.

Second, discouragement. We begin to complain. We begin to lose our heart.

Third, discontentment. Here a person becomes restless, negative and they see all the work and so few workers.

Fourth, disassociation. Finally, the towel is thrown in. The hard worker quits and joins those on the sidelines. Thoughts focus upon self.

Our verse today tells the disciples not to get there. Do not grow weary. That’s easy to say. Someone might respond, “you say that, but there is so few to help out.” Or, “I need a break, and there is no one to carry on.” And, when love for what we doing is replaced with a sense of obligation and duty, what we do suffers. The teacher becomes impatient and cranky. The preacher becomes demanding. The elder becomes bossy. Weariness carries over into our job performance.

This is something that is rarely talked about. So much of our effort is focused upon those sitting on the sidelines. We try to get them engaged and busy and we forget about those servants who are becoming weary. We assume that they will always carry on. We assume that they will never run out of energy.

How do we not grow weary?

First, realize that no one can do it all. Even the Lord couldn’t do it all. Jesus didn’t go into all the world and preach. The area He traveled in was small. Jesus needed the apostles. The apostles needed people like Timothy, Titus, and Apollos. Do what you can. Invite others to help you. Include younger ones to teach them. Communicate, share and work together. In the leadership, it’s an eldership, not one elder. The preacher ought to work with the elders and help each other by having transparent communications and sharing of ideas and concerns.

Second, remember that we serve the King. Our work isn’t about us, nor even the church. It’s about doing things for Jesus. We serve, because He first served. We work hard because He worked hard. Don’t lose that focus. The honor belongs to the Lord.

Third, refresh your spirit. You do that be connecting with others. Often you will learn that others are doing things and you just didn’t know about it. Draw ideas and energy from others. Our phones at the end of the day need recharging. So does our spirits. Worship is a wonderful way to get recharged. Spending time with quality people is another way. Spend some quite time reading, praying and reflecting. You can take a mental vacation without going anywhere. There are certain people in life that excite us. They have energy, enthusiasm and are a storehouse of ideas. Have lunch with them. Talk with others and share ideas.

Do not grow weary. It will happen unless you prevent it. It will happen unless you take the necessary steps to stop it. There’s not a lot of good that comes out of an old tired preacher or an old tired elder. Discouragement spreads. All it takes is for one weary servant to start complaining and before long, others have joined in that song. The mood changes. Things seem a lot darker than they were before. But the opposite is just as true. It’s like watching college basketball. Someone comes in off the bench. His legs are fresh and he has a lot of energy. He replaces a guy who has been in the midst of the game. He needs a break. He’s not done. He’s not out for the rest of the game. He’s getting a breather. Soon, he’s back in there.

It’s important that shepherds recognize who needs a breather. Pull someone off the bench and give your tired worker a short rest. Talk to him, just as a coach does when the player sits down on the bench. Pat him on the back. High-five him. Encourage him. Thank him. And, shortly, get him back into the game.

Across this country are tiny congregations that are holding on by a thread. A few deaths and the doors will close. In so many of those places, it’s just a few tired souls that are trying to keep the doors open. Some come and benefit but they do not help out. They need some help. They need some rest. They needs some ideas. What is needed is the spirit of Isaiah, who said, “Here am I, send me.”

Don’t grow weary. Don’t quit. Others need you. The Lord needs you. There is too much at stake here.

Roger