Faith and Love Amidst Adversity 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4,11-12

The Revised Common Lectionary today offers a letter believed to have been written by the Apostle Paul with words of encouragement to a community of believers in Thessalonica. Under persecution, their faith and love for one another are growing stronger. Paul, Silvanus and Timothy commend the community and encourage them to be worthy of the calling God has given them. However the lectionary selection leaves out 6 of 12 verses in this passage. Those 6 that are left out of this week's selection speak volumes. The portion left out speaks of a day when all will stand before God on a judgement day and the lives we have lived will be accounted for. What we do on this earth matters. Sometimes in a conversation, what is left unsaid says more than what is said as we are reminded in today's message.