I'm a pastor of a church dealing with recent scandal, and we're in a season where we could easily lose faith or become bitter. Paul's decision to boast about the faith and love of the Thessalonians in the face of persecution reminded me that there's still good to celebrate even when circumstances are difficult.
There's something prophetic about choosing to notice and celebrate what's good even when there's plenty of evidence of what's broken. It's not denial. It's choosing where to focus attention. Even in our scandal and shame, there are people showing up, loving well, refusing to let bitterness have the final word. That's worth boasting about.
Choosing to celebrate what's good doesn't erase what's broken, but it does prevent brokenness from becoming our whole story. It reminds people that they have agency in how they respond, that faithfulness is still possible, that goodness is still real even in difficult circumstances. That kind of boasting can be prophetic hope.
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