By David ReayTuesday 1 May 2018LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 2 minutes
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:7-10
7 For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. 8 We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow.10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” (NLT)
Let’s take the last verse first: this is not to be used to those who through no fault of their own are unemployed or seeking work but unable to find it. In context, it is about those who couldn’t be bothered about working and instead relied on the charity of others. Paul wrote in a society in which there was plentiful employment and uses himself as an example of someone who didn’t sponge off others.
Our text also says something about work itself. It is not a bad thing in itself. It can be burdensome, it can be frustrating, but it is not essentially evil. In fact, it is part of caring for our world and caring for others. Followers of Jesus are to work diligently and take pride in their work. Martin Luther said that a Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on shoes but by making good shoes since God wants good craftsmanship.
Work is not everything, but for many, it forms a large part of any week. The money we earn can help support those in need. The work we do can use our talents. What we produce can contribute to the wider society. Though this can be hard to discern at times when work is dreary and seemingly non-productive.
At such times we might recall the story told of two men back in the middle ages chopping rocks in a quarry. A visitor asked each man what he was doing. One replied that he was just chopping up rocks. The other said he was helping build a cathedral.
Blessings
David Reay