Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. – 1 Thessalonians 2:9
An idle mind is the devil’s workshop! | WATCH ON YOUTUBE
Paul is the spiritual father and the founder of the church in Thessalonica. It is he who brought the gospel to them during his second missionary journey. And yet, Paul is reminding the Thessalonians, about how he physically worked hard, to pay for his own bed and stay. Interestingly, Paul mentions this topic of working hard in both his letters to the Thessalonians (also in 2 Thessalonians 3:8).
Paul, being who he was to the Thessalonians, could easily have said he had this huge God-given task of preaching the gospel and planting churches, and therefore need not work. He could easily expect to be taken care of. But no! He worked hard, worked day and night. He plied his trade, night and day.
Paul lived out his faith in the marketplace. And through his daily work in the marketplace, reached out to the ordinary man on the street. His message and the aroma of the gospel came through ordinary, everyday activities. His life showed how to live out the gospel in the workplace.
Paul did not burden those whom he was staying with. He worked for his board and stay. He was not a burden on others. If you are called to serve in the mission field, it does not mean that you are to live off and be a burden on others.
Heavenly Father, forgive me for times I used your name as an excuse to be lazy, I pray.
Extended Reading – 1 Thessalonians 1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-3
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