Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. —1 Thessalonians 1:1-7

Context: This letter is probably the

writing of all the New Testament.

The

is addressed to new, faithful Gentile believers facing social pressure.

They faced

to turn back to the life from which they had come. (Acts 17:1-7)

When Paul couldn’t return to Thessalonica, he sent

to help the Christians there. (1 Thessalonians 3:1-3, 6)

Paul stays in

18 months and there writes his first letter back to the Thessalonians.

The Thessalonians refused to

in the face of criticism.

is criticized.

How Did the Church in Thessalonica Respond?

They responded with faith, love, steadfastness, and

in Jesus. (1 Thess. 1:2-3)

They remembered that they were

by God. (1 Thess. 1:4)

The early church responded to criticism with

in spite of great suffering. (1 Thess. 1:6-7)

What Did Paul Do in the Face of Criticism?

Paul simply answered each critique with

, not attacks. (1 Thess. 2:1-6)

How Can We Handle Criticism Today?

Criticism can be a

if we allow it to help us grow and mature.

We all need

. We don’t always like it, but we do always need it.

If you are not accepting criticism, then you’re probably not growing. —Adam Hamilton

When you get a critique, ask God, “What can I

from this?”

We can say, “I’m

,” or “Thank you for helping me

Reveal Answer

.” (Proverbs 15:1, NIV)

Don’t trade

. (1 Peter 3:9)

Don’t

.

Perfect and bulletproof are seductive, but they don’t exist in the human experience. —Brené Brown

If you try to live your life without being criticized for anything, you’re

already.

The only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing, to say nothing, and to be nothing. —Elbert Hubbard

What

are we

Reveal Answer

when we shut down and disengage?

Face the Truth

Sometimes the critique is

, although painful at the time.

Sometimes you are going to do the

thing, and you are going to get beat up for it. (2 Corinthians 11:24-27)

It is ok to disagree, but we don’t have to hurt each other when we do. Adam Hamilton

Every

in scripture was criticized.

Don’t give up on

.

In a nationwide survey,

of adult Americans are estranged from a close family member.

The biggest factor reported was a rise in individualism that prioritizes personal

.

Action Steps

Don’t

.

Don’t say anything

or hurl judgments all week. (Matthew 7:1-3)

Dare to

and let ourselves be seen; let your light shine!