Don’t Let Them Weary You Out

            Ask anyone that has done benevolent work and they will have a story for you.  The woman that complained about the grocery given to her because it wasn't name brands.  The couple that threw a fit because the Christmas basket they received from the church had less than the one given to another family member.  The man that told a story that pulled at your heart strings so you gave him money, only to find out he is a con.  The lady that is now badmouthing to anyone that will listen about the “heartless” church that won’t help her, when you know good and well the church has been supporting her for years.  They are the stories that make us jaded and bitter.  Make us suspicious and hesitant to help others.  These experiences can make serving others hard and cause us to become weary of doing good.

            These type things don’t just occur today, they happened in the first century.  Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica,  “For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.  Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.  But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good (2^nd Thessalonians 3:11-13).  There will always be those that abuse the system.  There will also be those that could be taking care of themselves but demand others do it.  There will always be those that complain and are ungrateful about the good things you do for them.  We can’t however let them keep us doing what is good.  

As Paul writes, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10)  We serve not because of the person we are serving but the God we are serving.  People may be ungrateful but God isn’t.  The good works we do for other are always seen and rewarded by God.  Instead of letting past events shape our works, we should focus on new opportunities to serve and do good.