AS A CHAPLAIN CANDIDATE FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMY, I attended chaplain school at Fort Jackson in South Carolina last summer. The six weeks of instruction were part of the final stage of military training necessary for becoming an active duty Army chaplain. We learned about military protocol, the varied responsibilities of a chaplain, such as counseling and conducting worship services, and about military ethics. While we sat through hours of lectures, our chaplain instructor repeatedly emphasized the importance of abstaining "from all appearance of evil" (I Thess. 5:22).
The long list of instructions to the chaplain candidates included points such as "Never counsel someone of the opposite gender in an office setting where the interaction can't be observed in some way by a third party," and "Never handle offertory money without someone else present." For some of my fellow candidates, these instructions seemed way over the top. I could identify with my peers' frustrations. When I was younger, the concept of avoiding actions that could be misinterpreted had come up in my Christian Science Sunday School classes, but I didn't grasp the significance right away. Later in college, different situations arose that prompted me to really pray to understand this instruction. Studying the Bible and the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, I found insight into this topic, which has been helpful in preparing for my ministry in the Army.
I knew that the Apostle Paul's instruction to avoid even the appearance of evil wasn't easy to understand and practice, but I grew to understand its significance for the health of the early Christian community and its importance today. Paul's teaching was not based on fear, but rather love—a profound love for humanity. In his letter, you can feel Paul's deep affection for the Christians in Thessalonica. He talked about the strong support and fellowship within the community and reminded them to continue in their mutual love and support for one another. This love and support, Paul said, would keep the community spiritually alert and vibrant. It would keep the "children of light" from becoming the children "of darkness" (I Thess. 5:5).
