Good Morning Friends,
“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we
command you to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live
according to the teaching you received from us. You yourselves know how you
ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we
eat anyone’s food without paying for it. We worked night and day, laboring and
toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not
because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a
model for you to follow. When we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a
man will not work, he shall not eat.’” (2 Thessalonians 3:6-10)
“Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” That’s
not a biblical statement, but it is a biblical idea. When your mother taught
you that she was on the right track. Idleness just leads to trouble. It’s not
just your own idleness that leads to trouble, when you surround yourself with
idle people they are likely to lead you down a path that is not good for you.
Paul is talking about fellow Christians, idle “brothers” whose company is to be
avoided. Christians who are content to do nothing for themselves or the Kingdom
are living in contradiction to God’s work in their lives.
Paul provided a positive example to follow. He
did his best to take care of his own needs, not wanting to be a burden to
others. He gave himself wholeheartedly to the work God had called him to do.
There was nothing lazy about him, he worked long and hard. They were a model
for the Thessalonians to follow -- and for us, too. God has called His children
to join Him in the work of His Kingdom and has prepared works for every believer
to do.
Of course, there is a balance that is
appropriate in life. There is time to “be still” and time to be active. When
the pendulum swings toward either extreme we are not listening to or following
the voice of God in our hearts.
His, by Grace, Steve
No comments:
Post a Comment