In the Christian Bible, faith, love, and hope aren’t weak greeting-card concepts. They’re not about light streaming through cottage windows in a painting.

We continually remember before our God and Father
your work produced by faith,
your laborprompted by love, and
your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.[1]

This text is from the first letter to Thessalonica written by the early Christian teacher Sha’ul, also known as Paul. He is especially glad for the followers of Yeshua in that region because of their hard work and their persistence.

Do I work hard or persist in any way that demonstrates my trust in God? This note is simply words. Is the Spirit of God visible in my life in a way that could serve as evidence that I’ve been chosen?

But a good followup question is this: what exactly was the work, labor, and endurance of the ancient people of Thessalonica? Was it just work at their jobs? Work in their yards and gardens? Maybe later sections of the letter will tell us.

[1] 1 Thessalonians 1