6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. 10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 2 Thessalonians 3:6–10
This passage and the instructions that follow address the undisciplined and unruly in the church. They were apparently unwilling to pay their own way, but were adroit at leeching off others. I find this issue hard to fathom but possible in a society where one might be able to exist off funds available for the “unemployed” and “disadvantaged.”
Having worked for years in a ministry to those “in between jobs,” it might be tempting to take the foot off the accelerator if you can eat for free. We thought we were providing humanitarian aid in feeding them each Monday night, but we fully expected them to be making an effort to find a job. There were some whose presence week after week did not appear to be the result of bad luck but a lack of serious effort. Paul would suggest in these cases that at some point these participants be advised that until sincere effort could be shown finding a job, that there was nothing more that we could do for them, and by implication, to quit attending. In my memory this never happened, but a little tough love was occasionally extended to the undisciplined and lazy.
I guess the spiritual principle is that one can expect that work will be available to those who wish to unburden others and be obedient. If Paul commands people to work for the bread they eat, logically it follows that the Lord will provide such work so that we can be obedient and self-sustaining. Our prayer should be, “Lord, you have taught us to be self-sufficient by working for a living, that if I don’t work I cannot eat. I want to be obedient, so by your grace, please provide me a job!” No one can turn away someone in the serving line with that mindset.
My parents lived through the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Into the early 2000’s they were still remembering and talking about the “soup lines.” For the industrious and faithful, those occasions when they were in dire straits were so embarrassing and impressionable that they were never in want for employment and money to eat again. They kept their side of the bargain, but God provided the gainful employment.
The Lord honors those who depend on Him not others. Thinking back on my past ministry, we should not have termed it, “in between jobs,” but “in between miracles.”
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