WORK & CALLING: Daily Reading Plan #5
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."
We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat.
Paul explains in this verse why he told the Thessalonians not to provide for lazy loafers. He had heard that some Thessalonians had made idleness their way of life. Instead of being busy at work, they had become busybodies. By this, Paul means they had too much time on their hands, and so filled their days with destructive activities. The Greek word used here is periergazomenous, which is also translated as "meddler," such as in 1 Peter 4:15. This is the kind of person who inserts themselves into other peoples' business, directly or indirectly.
Reflection Questions
- What do these verses reveal about work and calling?
- How does taking these verses to heart cause me to view work differently?
