Crayfish

Crayfish

Bible: 1 Thessalonians 5:11-18

Reading

Always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else (V.15).

My cousin invited me to fish for crayfish (they’re like mini-lobsters). I thought it would be fun, but I’d never done any kind of fishing before. When I got there he handed me a plastic bucket to put all the crayfish in
that I caught. “Why’s there no lid?” I asked. “You won’t need one,” he said, picking up the fishing rods.
Later, as I watched the small crayfish climbing over one another in an attempt to escape the almost-full bucket, I realised why we wouldn’t need a lid.

Whenever one crayfish reached the rim, the others pulled it back down.
Those crayfish reminded me how harmful it is to be living just for ourselves, without thinking of others. Paul wrote “warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak” and “be
patient with everyone” (1 THESSALONIANS 5:14).

Praising them for their caring attitudes (V.11), Paul encouraged them to be even more loving and peaceful with each other (VV.13-15). By living with forgiveness, kindness and compassion, the Christians’ relationships with
God and others would be made stronger (VV.15,23). The church can grow and show Jesus to the local community when it has this kind of peace and oneness. When Christians are focused on God, and want to lift others up instead of pulling them down, everyone feels the benefit.

HOW WILL YOU ENCOURAGE AND LIFT UP

THE PEOPLE IN YOUR CHURCH?

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries