我那三岁的孙女充满活力和喜乐，每一次当她跑进我们的家或是我到他们家时，她总会高声喊着说：“奶奶，‘迷你的我’！”她兴奋地大声宣告这个好消息，没有人听不到她的声音。我曾多次对她纠正，应该说她是“迷你的我”（因为她和我有很多相似之处），但她坚持说我是她的“迷你的我。”我们有相似的习惯、喜爱购物、还有我们常常都很乐观。我们也会讨论严肃的生命问题、会无缘无故傻笑、并且喜爱午睡。
保罗称赞帖撒罗尼迦教会，尽管他们的生命充满困难和痛苦，但藉着效法他和其他属灵榜样 - 最终是效法耶稣的榜样，他们仍然能持守坚定的信仰。他们为我们树立了怎样靠着圣灵喜乐事奉的模范，他们学会了去支取一切能帮助他们靠圣灵生活的能量和活力。
不论我们是什么人，每一天我们不是在跟随人、就是在带领人。我们要跟随那些效法耶稣的人、或去带领那些需要跟随祂的人，这就是我们的挑战。
主神啊，求你帮助我们效法你。惟愿我们能以你赐给我们的喜乐来生活；惟愿你的灵赐我们能力；惟愿今天有人在我们身上见到你的荣耀。阿们。
帖撒罗尼迦前书 1章
1保罗、西拉、提摩太，写信给帖撒罗尼迦在父神和主耶稣基督里的教会。愿恩惠、平安归于你们！
2我们为你们众人常常感谢神，祷告的时候提到你们，
3在神我们的父面前不住地记念你们因信心所做的工夫，因爱心所受的劳苦，因盼望我们主耶稣基督所存的忍耐。
4被神所爱的弟兄啊，我知道你们是蒙拣选的，
5因为我们的福音传到你们那里，不独在乎言语，也在乎权能和圣灵并充足的信心。正如你们知道，我们在你们那里，为你们的缘故是怎样为人。
6并且你们在大难之中蒙了圣灵所赐的喜乐，领受真道，就效法我们，也效法了主，
7甚至你们做了马其顿和亚该亚所有信主之人的榜样。
8因为主的道从你们那里已经传扬出来，你们向神的信心不但在马其顿和亚该亚，就是在各处也都传开了，所以不用我们说什么话。
9因为他们自己已经报明我们是怎样进到你们那里，你们是怎样离弃偶像归向神，要服侍那又真又活的神，
10等候他儿子从天降临，就是他从死里复活的，那位救我们脱离将来愤怒的耶稣。
"You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." - 1 Thessalonians 1:6
My three-year-old granddaughter is full of life and joy. Every time she runs into our house or I walk into theirs, she shouts, "Grandma, my 'mini me'!" She is thrilled as she shouts the good news. No one can miss it. I have often suggested that she might be my "mini me" (since she is a lot like me), but she insists that I am her "mini me." We share mannerisms and a flare for shopping, and we both tend to be optimistic. We have serious discussions about life, giggle about nothing, and enjoy afternoon naps.
Paul commends the church at Thessalonica that they have stayed strong in faith by following his example and that of other leaders—and ultimately by following Jesus, despite the hardship and suffering in their life. They have set an example of how to serve and live by the Spirit with joy. They have learned to access all the empowerment and energy they need in order to live through the Spirit.
Whoever we are, on any given day we are following someone or leading someone. Our challenge is to follow those who imitate Jesus and to lead those who need to know him.
Lord and God, help us to imitate you. May we live by the joy you have given us. May we be empowered by your Spirit. May someone see you in us today. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
