Transparent Living

Several years ago, I had a young 5 year boy that came to see me. His name was Winston. I was sitting on the porch with his family and Winston saw two plastic geese in my neighbors yard. They looked real and Winston kept watching them. He finally said, “Mr. Mitch, can I go catch those geese.” I said, “yes, but make sure you don’t scare them away.” I watched Winston as he began to maneuver his way down to the geese. His stealth like moves looked like the most skilled hunter ever. He moved slowly yet deliberately ever so close. When he finally got done to the point he could touch them, he reached out his hand slowly. I watched his shoulders slump, his facial expression became that of disgust, and he hollered, “Mr. Mitch, they ain’t real!!!”

Sometimes I think God watches us maneuver through life and how we try to act like Christians. We try our best approach to fool everyone that we are real when in reality we are not. I can’t help but wonder as we do, God looks at us and declares to His heavenly hosts, “They ain’t real!”

God desires for us to be authentic in our Christian life. He wants us to be real, not fake. He wants us to live transparently, always demonstrating His truth and His love.

1 Thessalonians 2:5-12 outlines for us the example of transparent living. We see that the call for us to be real. We will see today that transparent living gives us truthful love, tangible laypeople, tremendous lessons and reveals a triumphant Lord.

1 Thessalonians 2:5–12 NIV84

5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Truthful Love

From movies starring Mae West to a country song by Lynn Anderson, the quote, “Flattery will get you everywhere” has been used in a humorous way for telling someone you know they are trying to butter you up. Paul starts out this section of scripture saying, “You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed.”

The word flattery carries with it the idea of tedious methods by which one man seeks to gain influence over another. This is generally for his own selfishness. This practice obviously was done in Thessalonica and in ancient Greece.

Aristotle said, “A flatterer is one who does so for the sake of getting by it in the shape of money or money’s worth.”

Plato stated, “One should shun any kind of flatterer.”

Plutarch stated, “A flatterer corrupts the morals of the young and only pretends to be a friend.”

Paul is asserting here that as commentators of the truth, they never used flattery or greed to gain something for themselves. It is obvious in this scripture and in others, that their motive was out of love for the Lord Jesus Christ and His work.

When it comes to transparent living, I see the first thing we must do is to live our lives out of love. It is important to know and understand the root of love.

1 John 4:7 NIV84

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Love comes from God. It does not come from selfish gain out of selfish motives. When we try to make love come from anything else but God, we are denying that love comes from God.

We also need to understand that the fruit of love is characterized in 1 Corinthians 13:4-9

1 Corinthians 13:4–9 NIV84

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

How fruity is your love life? Is it patient, kind, not envying or boasting? Paul tells us that the love they had for the Thessalonians was this type of love. Our text calls it a delightful love. “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you the gospel and our lives.” Does your life show a delightful love or are you a person that does so with flattery or greed?

Tangible Laypeople

We next see a description of the work of Paul, Silas, and Timothy. They were training others in the church to become tangible laypeople. I use the word tangible because it means real or actual. I use the idea of a layperson because this would be someone that ordained or necessarily called to vocational ministry. I think this is a great example of each one of us that are called to the Christian Life. The Apostles are giving the example for how to practice one’s faith. They use three words to describe what this person should be like.

The first word is holy.

Holy is being devout, separate from selfishness and sin.

2 Corinthians 1:12 NIV84

12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God’s grace.

A second characteristic is to be righteous.

Righteous is moral correctness, doing what God defines as just and good.

Psalm 37:30 NIV84

30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.

The third characteristic of a tangible layperson is to be blameless.

Blameless means to have a life characterized by godly habits and it is up to date with confession and apologies to others.

Psalm 18:23 NIV84

23 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.

Would you qualify as one of these tangible laypeople? This is what we should strive for in our daily living.

We also see in our text some tremendous lessons.

Tremendous Lessons

The first lesson is the lesson of work. We should not be afraid of work. Growing up, I hated work. I hated to do chores. I hated chopping wood, working in a garden, taking care of animals, cleaning, and later doing jobs where all of that took place as well. However, as I look back on those days, I am grateful that I had instilled in me a good solid work ethic. We see in verse 9 that these men “worked day and night.” I am afraid that our country has created a group of folks that don’t know how to work or even will not work.

The example we have of Paul was that he was a tentmaker.

Acts 18:3 NIV84

3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.

The idea of work is one that produces great benefits and comes from the hand of God.

Ecclesiastes 2:24 NIV84

24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,

When we live transparently, we will be workers and as an example, hard workers.

We will also be encouragers. We see in our passage here a lesson of encouraging.

The example is that of a father encouraging his children.

Encouraging is the strong support and trust that imparts courage to others. It is written in present tense imply it is ongoing.

The best gift I can give as a father is to encourage my daughters in a way that fires them up, helps them to have the courage to do the task, and to do so in a way that when the task is done, they will do it again and again.

Job 16:5 NIV84

5 But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

The lesson of encouragement leads to another lesson, the lesson of comforting.

Comforting is the gentle empathy which comes and stays alongside of someone as they experience failures in life.

I love this definition. I know that failure is a part of my life. There have been many things I have failed at, some at which I do so daily. But the Lord has placed men and women in my life that give me words of encouragement and comfort.

Isaiah 40:1 NIV84

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

We are to comfort one another and we are to do so in a way that is genuine.

We are also called urge others to living a worthy life. I have separated these into two distinct lessons.

Part of our living a transparent life puts us in a position of influence. When we urge someone, we are spurring them to continue, giving a clear view of what is right.

I have always thought Hebrews 10:24 summarized this well:

Hebrews 10:24 NIV84

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

I have always wanted to be a cowboy. I have ridden horses lots, but I have never ridden with spurs on. I have been able to kick a horse with my heel to get it moving and I have been kicked by a horse several times. Being spurred by another is quite humbling, but very necessary. I remember a time in my life after making poor decisions, a friend of mine took off work, came to my work and grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me and said, “Are you out of your mind?” Quite honestly, I needed to be spurred in that way. We had a relationship transparent enough he could get in my face and urge me in a different direction. By the way, do you have someone like that in your life? Are you that someone in another’s life? Part of transparent living is being in fellowship with others that they can live life with you and be real, just as Paul is talking about here in this text.

The urging that takes place is to live a life worthy of God. I see in scripture at least three different ways this should take place. We first should live a life worthy of God.

Colossians 1:10 NIV84

10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Pleasing God is bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God. There are some that are not bearing fruit. Why? Because they are not sowing seeds, not being pruned, and not sharing the load by doing the work.

A second test of worthiness comes from being worthy of the saints.

Romans 16:2 NIV84

2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.

Do you remember the first time you came to this church? Many of you came and were welcomed by spiritual giants that have since gone on to be with the Lord. You were invited by some saint and now it is your turn to make it happen.

Finally, we are to be worthy of the gospel.

Philippians 1:27 NIV84

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel

We should be great students in learning these lessons as we strive to live transparent lives. All of this comes down to one reason and that is because we have a triumphant Lord.

Triumphant Lord

Paul, Silas and Timothy are urging the Thessalonians and all who read this passage to live lives worthy of God who calls you into His Kingdom and calls you into His glory.

We are created to be part of the kingdom of God.

Mark 1:15 NIV84

15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

We are still existing as a people of God because the Kingdom of God is near and God desires for all to be part of His kingdom.

We also exist for His glory.

Ephesians 1:11–14 NIV84

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

As I read this, I am reminded that God has made Himself transparent for us, the very least we could do is to make ourselves transparent with Him and each other.