“remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father” (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
The second element given to us here in 1 Thessalonians 1:3 is the “labor of love” that served to identify the Christian community in the city of Thessalonica. A “labor of love” differs from a traditional form of work in one important respect: a labor of love often reflects an internal desire to bless or help someone else.
Although a labor of love may involve a great deal of effort, the return on that investment encompasses something far greater than a paycheck. As one source observes, “Love for Christ draws forth service that the dollar could never inspire. The Thessalonians were living testimonies to this fact.” (1)
While this passage does not provide us with enough detail to positively identify this particular labor of love, perhaps that is by design. You see, a true labor of love is often unique to a group or individual. For some, a labor of love might represent their life’s work. For others, it may involve meeting a specific need at a particular point in time. Then there are those who earn a salary that helps support their labor of love.
Therefore, this detail is not very important from an application perspective. The real question in this: how should we apply this idea today? For instance, there are several questions that can help us identify our personal labor of love…
- What work would I perform even if I wasn’t paid for it?
- What God-given skills, talents, abilities, or opportunities do I possess?
- What do I “see” that others don’t?
- What burdens me?
- What energizes or inspires me?
- What needs to be done (or what needs to be done better)?
- What would I do even if no one noticed or gave me credit for it?
The answers to these questions can help us uncover a true labor of love for our lives.
Finally, it’s important to recognize that a hobby, pastime, or recreational interest may also reflect a labor of love. While such things offer a valuable respite from the pressures and demands of life, we should remember that a hobby is often temporal in nature. On the other hand, a labor of love that invests in the spiritual welfare of others provides an eternal benefit that is virtually incalculable. A person who prayerfully finds a way to channel his or her interests into a ministry opportunity that honors God and benefits others will surely reap eternal rewards.
(1) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary (p.2023) Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers