WORKING WITH QUIETNESS Overheeding the exhortation, "If anyone is not willing to work,
neither let him eat" (2 Thess. 3:10), many are now gutting it out at
unfulfilling jobs, working with people they would hurt badly if they
weren’t Christians. Are you one of them? Then consider the rest of
this passage.
Verse 11: "For we are hearing that some among you are walking
disorderly, working at nothing, but are meddling." Paul is referring
to the unemployed here, but, nowadays, this may very well describe
employed people who make life miserable for their fellow employees.
1) Walking disorderly. How much goofing off goes on at your place of
"business?" You’d simply like to do your job in peace and go home, but
the mob rules, and you can’t help laughing when Barry flings rubber
bands at Gloria, who drives Barry crazy with her short skirts.
2) Working at nothing. If someone asks you, "What did you do
at work today?" and you say, "Not a whole lot," then maybe you
should move on. People are only happy when they’re proud of
their product—or if they’re at least producing something.
3) Meddling. Our modern phrase for this is: office gossip. We
are talking Sue’s ex-husband, Bill’s drinking problem, Mrs.
Gibson’s pregnant daughter, Bonnie’s facial hair and Rick’s ugly
pants. What have these things got to do with operating a
productive business? Aside from Rick’s ugly pants (which truly
would be a distraction), the answer is—nothing.
No, Paul never intended for these things to describe the
workplace, but, unfortunately, today many of them do. Thus, we
see that a person can be willingly and responsibly employed and
still be called onto the carpet by the apostle of peace. Fear
and disbelief in God’s promises are the only things keeping some
people from quitting their present, miserable jobs in pursuit of
a mild, quiet, and satisfying life. When you make an employment
decision based on peace (which is what God wants you to have),
then you can trust God to take care of your income.
Verse 12: "Now such we are charging and entreating in the
Lord Jesus Christ, that, working with quietness, they may be
eating their own bread."
I, myself, have been tempted to apply at the library.
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