Labor et Fatigatio | Laboring and Toiling

“…On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.”– 2Thessalonians 3: 8

 

“You don’t work – You don’t eat”. I am sure you have heard this saying before and usually it is directed to lazy people. Apparently, it was the same idea in Paul’s day. Apostle Paul, the man who wrote 13 books in the Bible, who received a direct revelation from God himself, who was a leading missionary to Asia Minor, was encouraging believers in the church to work hard. Paul could have his salary paid by the church. The church could provide all his needs, but it wasn't his way. Instead, he worked and he told them to do the same, to work an honest job, to toil and drop sweat and to earn a living.

In the context, we can tell that there were some busybodies in the church who loved to gossip and to cause a raucous within the church. Paul warned the church members about these people and to stay away from them. In fact, he told them to “keep away” from these. Why is it? It is simple, when you are just laying around doing nothing, there are millions of possibilities that the devil may use these moments to creep into your live. There’s an old saying “An idle hand is the tool work of the devil”. There’s a lot of truth in this saying. If you go to the area where the unemployment number is high, then most likely, you will find the high rate of crime in that area.

I was just thinking of Paul as one of the great apostles of Christ who had to work in order to support his own ministry. How about us? I thought Paul set a great example for us as a believer to follow. In a world, where there are a lot of schemes to get rich quickly, the Word of God calls us to work an honest work for our living. Especially as a believer, it is okay to “have a sweat upon your brows”, to get tired after long hours at work. It is a part of living in this cursed world.

So brothers and sisters, let us roll our sleeves and get them done. Whether it is at home or at work, let us be a productive person that gives glory and honor to God through our work. I close with this verse, “So whether you eat or drink, do it all for the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31). God bless us. Amen.

 

Reflection on 2Thessalonians 3: 6-18 by Pst. Devy Nanlohy