And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
1 Thessalonians 1:7 NIV
A Model
Under the bustling intersection of Sankofa Square in downtown Toronto is an homage to contemporary architecture in Canada. Over the past several years, founder Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer, with a team of talented artists, engineers, and storytellers, has built out a miniature representation of Canada, selecting buildings based on factors like visual interest and cultural or local significance. There are currently replicas of Niagara, Toronto, the Golden Horseshoe, Ottawa, Quebec, the East Coast, the West Coast, and, most recently, Northern Canada, which all together have taken over 600,000 hours of work to craft.
***
When my children were little, my mom used to warn us to be a good example to them, knowing that they didn’t miss a thing and were always watching us. Wanting my children to always learn positive lessons from us, we were grateful for this reminder. Paul says that the Christians in Thessalonica were being watched by Christians in other locations and the apostle is grateful for how they had received the Word with great joy in the Holy Spirit, in spite of dealing with affliction. In 1 Thessalonians 1:7 he writes: “And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” We who are walking with Jesus are always being watched by both other Christians and those who don’t yet know Him. We are called to be so filled with the Spirit that no matter what we are facing, we do so with His joy. This isn’t something we can fake. In the most challenging moments, joy isn’t natural. Only when we have the assurance that the Spirit of God is filling our hearts will we respond with His joy no matter what life brings.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley