It’s that time of year again; signs are posted around neighborhoods. Rod and Jeff have just finished their work at the church’s property. This is routine maintenance that can have disastrous consequences if not executed properly. If you have an in-ground irrigation system, it’s best practice to blow out your lines every year before winter. Using a large compressor that can create enough sustained pressure is crucial to ensure that most, if not all, of the water is evacuated from your underground lines.
Notice that I say “best” practice. You don’t have to do this process. No one is going to check on you, and there is nothing but your own time and money at stake. If you neglect to take this step, water can freeze in your lines, causing them to break and require repairs in the spring. This is true for many items that need maintenance. No one makes you change your furnace filters, check your car’s oil, or ensure smoke detectors have batteries. However, neglecting these tasks places undue strain on those items. Your blower motor will have to work harder and wear out faster. Your engine might seize, reducing your vehicle to a block of immovable metal. Your smoke detectors might fail to warn you in an emergency, preventing you from safely evacuating your house. No one forces you to do these things, but they represent best practices.
In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul instructs the church in Thessalonica to establish some “best” practices. He knows that following these guidelines will help their lives function at optimal levels. By implementing these practices, we can avoid wearing out as quickly.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 (NLT): 12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. 13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other. 14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
Lives that apply these routines are strengthened and emboldened. There is something here for everyone. What maintenance issues do you need to address? Some of these are “heart” issues, while others are tasks we should perform regularly. No one is going to make you pray continuously, be joyful, or be thankful in all circumstances. However, if you do, your life will be more resilient against systematic failures that can creep in.
Many may read this list and avoid specific tasks, thinking those areas can be neglected. Yet, the wisdom is clear: if we engage in these practices, our lives will be prepared for the cold winter days and ready for spring when it finally arrives. No one is going to force you to do these tasks… but they are the best practices.