Kingdom Building

November 15, 2019

Scripture Reading:
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right. –2 Thessalonians 3:10-13

This scripture probably gets overplayed as it is used as an excuse to not feed the hungry or clothe the naked. Truth lies somewhere in between idleness and working three minimum wage jobs at a time just to pay the rent. There are poor workaholics and rich people living in idleness and vice versa.

Paul was obviously trying to address a specific problem in the Thessalonian church. Remember deacons were created to make sure the widows got their fair share of food (described in Acts 6) as the early church held all things in common.

One of my favorite jobs as a social worker was working with mom’s receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children what most refer to as welfare. My job was to help them become self-sufficient and self-supportive. I worked with the whole gamut of people. A few invested more energy at working the system then preparing for a job, but only a few. Most were young mothers who either had dropped out of school or had barely succeeded in school. In most cases the children’s fathers were absent and these young women were from families that could not offer much help. In almost all situations these young women had great potential, although no one had ever said that to them.  We have a good vocational education system in Oklahoma and a few months of training made a lot of difference in their lives. It was fun watching them gain confidence as they moved into employment.

Feeding the hungry must be direct service at times but in most instances it requires us to help people grow into their potential.

Prayer: Lord help us to see those in need for who they are and they can become. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.