Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 (NRSV)
Paul instructs the Thessalonians to distance themselves from those whose idleness causes them to not following his teachings. The overall message highlights the balance between community support and individual diligence in faith.
Proverbs 6:6-11 extols the virtues of hard work and warns against laziness.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, where Paul promotes leading a quiet life and working diligently. We see a consistent message of responsibility and diligence.
Consider a community volunteer who tirelessly supports a local food bank. They may face personal struggles. They may witness others’ lack of contribution. Despite these obstacles, their dedication to the cause inspires others to join in and support the community. This anecdote reflects the spirit of Paul’s message, illustrating the power of perseverance and the positive impact of consistent good deeds. In conclusion, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 serves as a poignant reminder of the significance of living a disciplined, responsible life and contributing positively to our communities. It urges us to follow the example of diligent workers, avoid idleness, and persist in doing good, knowing that our efforts make a meaningful difference.
Paul commands the faithful to withdraw from those who walk in ataktos. word ataktos means more than idle”. Disorderly or rebellion comes closer than “idle.” There is an unruliness about these people’s idleness—the phrase “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop” comes to mind. In verse 11, Paul calls the idle Christians “busybodies” —people who, because they are idle, have time to meddle and create mischief. That is the crux of the problem here. The people who have chosen to disobey Paul’s entreaty to work have become meddlers and mischief-makers. Back seat drivers – and we know how that works.
Verse 10, drives this point home. “For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.” Not only should the idle not be allowed to meddle and disrupt, they should not benefit from the efforts of those who are working. Remember in history the story about the fledgling Jamestown, Virginia colony in 1609, colonists were faced with the prospect of starvation. One of their many problems was gentlemen who were unaccustomed to hard work—men who considered themselves above menial labor and who refused to help with the hard work of planting and harvesting. John Smith, the leader of the colony, imposed the rule, “He that will not work shall not eat (except by sickness he be disabled).”
While we must make provision for people who, through no fault of their own, are unable to work, we need strong incentives to encourage people to work. The reasons are simple: If a person isn’t working, someone else has to work “above and beyond” to support the person who isn’t working. Also, idle hands are, indeed, the devil’s workshop.
The need to be engaged in meaningful work extends to those who are officially retired from the workplace. It isn’t healthy to do nothing—nor is it healthy to do nothing but play. People need a sense of purpose, and one way to accomplish that is to do some sort of meaningful work—work that makes life better for the worker or for someone else. Whether paid or volunteer is less important than whether it is purposeful.
How can you do as Paul commanded and “and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their(your) work quietly?”
Let us Pray
God, break through my prideful desire to sound capable, talented, or competent in the eyes of others, so that I might live today surrendered to your Spirit’s power flowing through my words and actions instead. May your Spirit’s resurrection-strength power bring new life to the situations or circumstances that seem “dead.” Amen