We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers. (NRSV)

Sometimes when I am preparing to write these devotionals, I’ll read the scripture, and as I meditate on it, a phrase will come to mind, seemingly out of nowhere. I’ve come to believe these phrases are from the Holy Spirit to help guide me to share God’s Word with whoever is reading these words. The phrase I heard for this week is “trust the source.”

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And then I thought of this moment... A few years ago, my middle son was trying to trick his brother. He got a cup of lemonade and told the baby of the family that it was pee, and he should drink it. Not to be outsmarted, the youngest refused, but then came up with a plot of his own. He got a cup and actually peed in it and then took it to his brother, offering him a glass of lemonade!  

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You know with little kids, you can’t even make this stuff up!! If you grew up with siblings or cousins around your age, you know from experience you probably shouldn’t trust the source of the glass of mystery liquid you’re being offered.  

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There are many times in life when you need to thoughtfully consider the source of the information. Like maybe at a used car dealership, where the person is very intent on making a sale and might be willing to fudge a little on the record or the ACTUAL price to drive it off the lot. Now, I’m a very trusting person, and I’m not saying to trust no one, but we should be discerning in who we trust and from whom we receive advice.  

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If we are going to make major life decisions based on what someone else is telling us is true, we should be sure that source is reliable, honest, and has our best interests in mind.

In this letter written by Paul to the Thessalonian church, there’s an appeal to the believers to remember what Paul and his companions did among them, why they taught, and what they endured to share the good news of Jesus. He seems to want them to understand that their motives were pure, and they weren’t just sharing their own ideas. He was thankful that the people did not think their sharing of the gospel was just “human word,” but divine, originating from God himself.  

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Humans who share about Jesus are imperfect and will get stuff wrong. Some may even try to offer you something that is fake. But those with good motives are trying to lead you to Christ, to the One who is perfect and trustworthy. Paul says as much in the early part of Chapter 2: “For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts” (vv. 3-4).

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Paul makes it clear that the believers in Thessalonica can trust the source of their message because it comes from God. God’s character never changes, and he alone can be trusted at all times to be honest and true.  

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Think of it this way: How different would it be if you were buying a car from your own loving dad instead of a random guy on the car lot? If he was a good father, you’d trust that he had your best interest in mind and would not sell you a lemon for his own profit. The Bible tells us from Genesis to Revelation that we can trust our Heavenly Father to tell us the truth, to be a reliable source as we live out our lives.  

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Are you trusting in God today as the source of the good news you have heard? Are you testing other voices to make sure they line up with the truth found in God’s word? Pray today for the Spirit’s guidance as you navigate our world and know in whom and what to put your trust.

Loving Father, we praise you today for your trustworthiness. You are the source of truth. We confess that we often look to other things to guide us – unreliable sources that lead us astray. God, help us to see how what you’ve said in the past still holds true today because you are unchanging. Draw us ever closer to you so we may more closely resemble your Son Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. In his mighty name we pray, Amen.