Legacy Leadership: Wisdom Of The Apostle PaulSample

Appreciation and Affirmation – Part 1

I don’t know about you, but it never made me mad to have someone tell me I was doing a good job or thank me for my work. It’s nice when someone – a boss, a coworker, a customer – notices our efforts and contributions.  

We all have a need to be appreciated. In spite of this, I worked with a couple of executives who thought showing appreciation was a big mistake. One of these men told me that employees wouldn’t work hard if they didn’t come to work every day with some level of fear that they would be fired.  Another one told me that if you praise people for doing good work they would slack off and stop working hard.

Obviously, Paul didn’t embrace those ideas. He opens his letter with an expression of gratitude for the Thessalonians. He always thanked God for them, mentioning them in his prayers, and constantly remembered the quality of their lives. Notice the two words that are emphasized here: always and constantly. His gratitude for them was consistent and not sporadic. While my former colleagues would certainly balk at this idea, Paul demonstrates the importance of regularly expressing gratitude to those we lead. 

Not only was Paul thankful for the Thessalonians, but he was also affirmational. He moved from a general expression of gratitude to a recognition of three specific qualities he saw in their lives: their work of faith, their labor of love, and the steadfastness of their hope. 

Faith, Love, Hope. These are the quintessential qualities of a Christ-follower’s character. Each of these internal qualities is a catalyst for an outward expression.

A faith that works. A living faith always produces good works. Our faith is a gift from God that transforms our entire life and results in many kinds of “work.” God gives us faith so that we might walk in the good works he prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10). These works are the product of the faith in God that is at work in our lives. Paul affirms that the Thessalonians are doing the work God wants them to do. 

A love that labors. In the original language, labor refers to the strenuous effort that is exerted to focus a person’s energies to the maximum level. The word work focuses on the task itself. Labor is the effort expended and the cost associated with accomplishing the task. This kind of effort is motivated by a love that gives unsparingly, with or without visible success.  

A hope that endures. The Thessalonians had unwavering hope in the face of immense pressure. This kind of endurance is not a quiet and passive resignation; rather, it is an active and solid certainty that is based on the knowledge that God is in control. Their hope was anchored in the Lord Jesus Christ who provided the foundation for their perseverance.  

As leaders in any context - at home, with our spouse, with our children or in the workplace – we should express our gratitude for those around us and acknowledge the contributions they are making. Our affirmation must go beyond recognizing achievements. It should always include praise for the character qualities that we see as well. 

Reflect and Act on these questions:

• Are you thankful for your coworkers?
• When was the last time you told God how thankful you are for your colleagues?
• When was the last time you told them?
• Take a moment right now to thank God for the people he has placed in your life.
• Make a plan to tell each of them how thankful you are for their role in your life.