Work is something every one of us knows well. From the time we are young, we are given chores, responsibilities, and tasks. As we grow older, the responsibilities increase with jobs, families, and the daily duties of life. Yet how we approach our work reveals much about our hearts. Are we diligent, faithful, and responsible? Or do we look for shortcuts, doing the bare minimum, hoping someone else will carry the load? The old saying captures it well: Are you working hard, or hardly working?
In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18, Paul addresses this very issue within the church. Some believers had become idle. They were not working to support themselves, but instead were depending on others. Paul calls such behavior disorderly and reminds the church that when he was among them, he worked hard with his own hands, setting an example. His command is clear: “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”
But Paul’s concern goes deeper than physical labour. Work is part of our Christian witness. Laziness dishonours Christ and places an unfair burden on others, while diligence shows integrity, responsibility, and love. Work is not a punishment but part of God’s good design for humanity, given from the very beginning in the Garden of Eden. This passage challenges us to see our work, whether at home, at school, or in our jobs, as service to Christ. It calls us to reject idleness and embrace diligence, so that in all we do, we glorify God.
Series: Encouragement for Pilgrims on the Way
Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18
Speaker: Pastor David Hallett
