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"Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one" (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12). “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, he shall not eat'” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

About forty years ago I served as a chaplain in a community food bank in rotation with other pastors. It was a noble effort by the churches in the community to provide help to the needy, as many churches still do. As chaplains we were to provide spiritual assistance and guidance if requested but it was rarely requested. It seems most were just interested in the free food. Turns out most of the time I just helped carry the food out to their cars. And some surely needed the help.

I did this for several years and each time I served I noticed a young man about my age who would wait in the car while his significant other picked out the food. I had seen him out walking and he sure appeared physically fit. So I asked him, "Why don't you get a job?" He told me he was raised this way (being dependent on others) and it worked OK for him.

As I recall he showed no spiritual interest but today's text sure would have been a good one for him to heed!

The fourth commandment is best known for the command to remember the Sabbath Day of Rest as seen on the graphic. But it is preceded with a command to work: “Six days you shall labor and do all your work” (Exodus 20:9).

God has ordained work in His created order. It is one of the creation mandates, meaning God ordained work from creation even before the fall . "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15).

In the course of our work as business chaplains we regularly affirm people who are hard at work, and there are many who carry a heavy work load.

One of the great curses on our land brought on by misguided liberal “compassion” is the many who have become dependent on the government rather than taking responsibility for their own lives. Responsibility includes hard work, refraining from destructive behavior, and being patient in the process of delayed gratification.

Efforts to solve the problem by creating massive dependency were (for some) well-meaning, but look at the colossal monster that it has created! We now have several generations like the man in our opening illustration that have no clue as to how the economy works, nor do they recognize their own personal responsibility to work and take care of themselves or their families. Also we clearly see so often that idleness is the devil's workshop.

Our daily text is one of the great statements on work in the Bible.  Paul began the church in Thessalonica and the record of this rocky start is recorded in Acts 17:1-9.  The fledgling church survived and the Holy Scriptures contain two follow-up letters written by Paul to these believers. Both letters contain a thought somewhat unique in Paul’s writings. In Paul’s second letter to them he develops this thought more fully in chapter 3:6-15. Possibly it was due to a problem that needed to be addressed in Thessalonica because of a mistaken view of the Lord’s return. Some felt they no longer needed to work since the return of the Lord was so imminent.

Paul reminded them of the value of work and the consequences of not working. Notice that in both portions Paul was merely reminding them of his teaching while he was with them. I believe it indicates that this teaching was an integral part of Paul’s ministry. He modeled it himself when he made tents in Corinth for a time.

The apostle Paul lists three disciplines that had been commanded in his previous ministry to the Thessalonians that were to be their ambition (and through the Holy Scriptures ours as well). Not one of them seems deep in doctrinal teaching, but more practical in the way we are to conduct ourselves:

Read the text again.  It’s from God’s holy Word and just as much a part of the inspired Scriptures as the rich “theological” portions. As you work, rejoice in this act of obedience to God and pray that our country will return to its godly foundations, including a Biblical worldview of work. Your labor is an act of faith and obedience, as you indeed recognize the sanctity of work and seek to please God.

B e encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13