Now, as we look through this you need to know that Paul is writing to a church that is having some problems and that is causing him some grief. And instead of turning his back on sending their luggage to writing them them…or Mexico…or off and with he deals with I want you to notice what he says in saying, “the devil you” them…and verse 3. He says: thank my God in all my remembrance of “I you.” Look at this. Paul says: time I think of thank God for “Every you…I you.” Paul is deliberately remembering the positive things about these things he can be people…the thankful to God for. Now, he just remember the positive things about them because there didn’t weren’t any negative things to focus on. There were some negative things to focus in on. In chapter 2:4 the indication is that some of these people were out for pretty selfish…”looking their own interests.” In chapter 4:2 the indication is that there were some women here that were threatening to split the church. This church was having problems. There were some difficult people here. There was some some friction. disunity here…and So there were some negative things he could have focussed on . But when Paul thought about these people he chose to remember the positive things things…the that he could for. give “thanks” Things that would bring him joy. In fact, look at verse 5, he they had been partners with him in specifically remembered “how the gospel from the very first day.” And over in chapter 4: 15, Paul remembered how they with him in the matter of “shared giving and when no one else did. receiving” He chose to remember what was good and noble about these of the bad. people…instead Now, every one of us in here this morning has some flaws. And one of those flaws that we all have is that every once in a while we say some things we might not should... Or we do do some things that we might not should. or don’t And those flaws can cause you to get your feelings hurt. It might be someone you have known for along time. Or maybe it is some one you you have had your feelings don’t know very well…but still hurt.
Now, as we look through this you need to know that Paul is writing to a church that is having some problems and that is causing him some grief. And instead of turning his back on them…or sending their luggage to Mexico…or writing them off and saying, “the devil with you” he deals with them…and I want you to notice what he says in verse 3. He says: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.” Look at this. Paul says: “Every time I think of you…I thank God for you.” Paul is deliberately remembering the positive things about these people…the things he can be thankful to God for. Now, he didn’t just remember the positive things about them because there weren’t any negative things to focus on. There were some negative things to focus in on. In chapter 2:4 the indication is that some of these people were pretty selfish…”looking out for their own interests.” In chapter 4:2 the indication is that there were some women here that were threatening to split the church. This church was having problems. There were some difficult people here. There was some disunity here…and some friction. So there were some negative things he could have focussed on . But when Paul thought about these people he chose to remember the positive things…the things that he could give “thanks” for. Things that would bring him joy. In fact, look at verse 5, he specifically remembered “how they had been partners with him in the gospel from the very first day.” And over in chapter 4: 15, Paul remembered how they “shared with him in the matter of giving and receiving” when no one else did. He chose to remember what was good and noble about these people…instead of the bad. Now, every one of us in here this morning has some flaws. And one of those flaws that we all have is that every once in a while we say some things we might not should... Or we do or don’t do some things that we might not should. And those flaws can cause you to get your feelings hurt. It might be someone you have known for along time. Or maybe it is some one you don’t know very well…but still you have had your feelings hurt.
ENJOYING_DIFFICULT_PEOPLE.docx