I learned early on as a communicator to analyze my audience. A good speaker tells different jokes to a pile of middle-school boys than to a roomful of their mothers (of course, the same jokes go big with their fathers). But if mom’s in the audience, a wise communicator tempers the lingo about gases and smells.

Solomon dedicated his new temple in grand fashion, partying for 14 straight days and sacrificing thousands and thousands of sheep and cattle. The sheer scale of it all boggles my mind.

Although Solomon created a magnificent house for the Lord, he knew the Lord wouldn’t live there. All the pomp and circumstance and magnificence and ceremony wouldn’t insure the Lord stuck around. So Solomon asked this of the Lord:

May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day. Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

I so appreciate this prayer of humility. Solomon knew the Lord cannot be manipulated with a fancy building. He asked for two things the Lord grants the humble—to hear and to forgive.

It makes me think of a prayer I learned long ago, and Christians have prayed for ages:

Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, a sinner.

If like me you’re sometimes not sure what to pray, and like Solomon you understand your audience, then this is a good place to start.

1 Kings 8:29-30 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Biel Morro

Ever been in a book discussion group with someone who didn’t read the book, but felt free to chatter anyway? Major pet peeve. If I’m leading the group, I remind them that they can listen but not comment—you have to read the book (like all the rest of us did) to get to talk. If I’m participating but not leading, I plot my way out of this “reading group” that allowed a non-reader in the room.

The church in Thessalonica experienced a similar problem. They drew a crowd of people who hung around for free food and eventually stopped working altogether. It’s not clear how this started, except that the church folks, in applying a love-your-neighbor ethic, provided so generously a number of loungers took advantage.

Paul heard of the problem down in Corinth. Frustrated, he addressed it in a letter to the church: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.

If you’re not willing to do an honest day’s work—no soup for you.

Notice Paul does not say unable to work. Certain people cannot work due to physical or mental disabilities or age or illness or station of life (think widows). Those the church cared for and served.

But these busybodies hung around all day spreading gossip and getting under everyone’s skin. Much better for them to work hard and come home tired, too worn out to create issues. Plus, with their income they could now contribute to the outreach efforts of the church.

I don’t know what happened to the slackers of Thessalonica. I imagine they slunk away, looking for a handout somewhere else.

Paul’s principle remains sound. I benefited from good mentors in my life who helped me learn to work hard, like my parents and grandparents and my first boss (thank you, Tony). We build strength into the lives of others when we insist they do the work else before reaping the benefits.

And if you join a book club, read the book before you talk about the book.

2 Thessalonians 3 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Zhang Kenny