Do you feel busy? As things begin to crowd towards the holidays, it seems like there are more and more demands of time everywhere you look, school, work, homework/projects. family events, fun holiday festivities. Sometimes I feel like everywhere I look is another thing waiting to claim my time. So how do we make the most of the time that we have?
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18
2 Thessalonians 3:6-18 (NIV)
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good. 14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.
In many ways the Thessalonian church didn’t have a problem with having enough time, but with doing things that were worthwhile. Some had a problem with spending their time being busybodies, into other peoples business. Paul wasn’t talking to people who couldn’t work and contribute to their community, he was talking to people whose priorities were being misspent. Whatever they were doing, they weren’t doing the important things. Let’s step back and think about this personally for a moment. What do you do to procrastinate? Internet? Games? I know for me its reading. These things are not necessarily bad of themselves, but the way we use them can be wrong. Likewise, this doesn’t just apply for procrastination from school work, in this case it was a spiritual and secular problem for the Thessalonians. It was such a problem that Paul told the church to warn their brothers and sisters and distance themselves if they don’t pay attention. What are we doing to procrastinate from what God has for us in our lives? Is our procrastination potentially getting in the way of other peoples’ growth and development in Christ? From what Paul is saying, it would definitely seem so. Paul also writes here to encourage those who are working hard in both their life and their faith. It’s a difficult thing sometimes for us to see that when we give Christ our life, it’s our whole life. It’s school and church. It’s friends from school, from extracurriculars, and from church. God wants to be our Lord in every aspect of our lives, and that includes how we work, when we work, and where we work.
Dear God,
Be LORD of how we work, and the quality of work that we do. Let it speak and show you to whoever we come in contact with. Help us to do it faithfully, and reveal to us whatever is getting in the way of giving our best work to you. Thank you for giving us the ability to serve and reflect you in what we do. Amen.
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