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Imitating Those Who Work Faithfully & Fruitfully
From 2 Thessalonians 3: 6 Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters,do not be weary in doing what is right.
Like in all settings, the Church has doers and watchers. The estimated percentage of recent studies: 80% of the work gets done by 20% of the people. Does that sound right for you? I'm asking in the sense of is that what you perceive, but also, which percentage side are you on? The Church provides many different settings and opportunities in which we can offer our services, and there should be an overage of volunteers and helpers present when the church offers something. Last night in talking with a fellow DS, it was shared that a pastor complained that he was overworked because of the response he was getting to new programs and ministries in the church. The DS said he needed to raise up and train volunteers to run these programs. The mindset in that church is a common one; "Let the preacher/pastor do it, that's what he/she's paid for!" Wrong.
Paul set the example and pace for Christian workers in his day. Paul is what we could call a Type A person. Go, go, go, and work, work, work. This passage shares with the believers that reality that in all things he received, he paid for with his sweat and toil. And that hard work, Paul said, was "in order to give you an example to imitate." Some have called harsh the verse that follows, verse 10, where Paul says, "For even when were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat." And then explains why he believes that way; so many "living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work." But he encourages those to become workers and to do their work quietly. Then a closing encouragement to all, "do not be weary in doing what is right."
The theme along the Lectionary line for this week, is that work that we have to do before the Lord's coming. Yesterday's Gospel lesson encouraged us to endurance in our faith, today's is endurance in our labor for the good of the faith. We can encourage one another, we can pick up a phone and call those whom we know should be helping but aren't, to come and work alongside us. Make it a fun experience and one with huge unseen rewards now.
PRAYER: Loving God, we have much to do, but with Your help and blessing we can move forward to accomplishing much. Encourage us to be encouragers of all. Move us to faithfulness and fruitfulness. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
PS I just received word that The Rev. Dr. Homer A. Bain, longtime worker at the Ecumenical Institute in San Antonio passed away this past Saturday. I also learned that his wife, Rev. Irma Bain, a former staff member of mine, has severe dementia. Please pray for the Bain family. They have one son, Andy who is making arrangements. Thank you.
