Photo from First United Methodist Church of Corpus Christi of church members working beyond the church in many settings during the Day Apart Sunday! Proud of these folks!
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. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labour we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 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 3:6-13)
God must have had a purpose in designing pants with pockets. They're handy for holding things, like keys, coins, crosses, rocks. And they're also good for resting your hands when you don't know what to do with them. I will never forget my first boss in the school cafeteria of Lon Morris College, a gentleman by the name of Josef Nadaverrie, and if his name is spelled incorrectly, it will protect me! But he was a demanding man and one who could be heard shouting loudly at some of the cafeteria workers, "Get yer hands outcha pockets!" Thankfully, I was not one of those, because I knew better. If I ran out of work I would look for something else to do. The same instructions come from the Apostle to the believers in Thessalonica: Stay busy! Paul knew that there were, and are still are, an overabundance of underemployed saints. Paul says, "This is not the way we trained them, yet here they are doing nothing for the Lord!" Ouch. Paul, being a tentmaker, knew the value of hard work, and employed that same attitude towards the work of sharing Jesus Christ. He would stay with people, eat their food, but work in some way to repay them. He even gave that famous command that is so often quoted, "He that does not work, does not eat." Being idle for the Lord can become employment for the devil in your life. Proverbs 16:27 says this: "Idle hands are the devil’s workshop; idle lips are his mouthpiece."
If we center our lives and work on the Lord, we will bear fruit for Him. If we seek to do nothing, we are doing something, but not for God. Work for the Lord!
PRAYER: Loving God, let me be employed for Thee, for there is much to do. Let me take my hands out of my pocket and lift them high in praise and prayer, to help and bless others, and to do Thy will. This I pray in Christ Jesus my Savior, amen.
Have a great and blessed day for the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
Prayer Update: The surgery with Alicia Carrizales went well. She was having pain and discomfort and we ask continued prayer for her and her family. Thank you!
