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Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
2 Thessalonians 3:6, 10-12
“Idle hands are the Devil’s plaything”
I’m sure you’ve heard those words before – whether it was by a parent or teacher – they’re often told to children to keep them busy doing something. Usually, my parents would say that to my siblings and I to keep us out of trouble and make sure we get our schoolwork done. In the world, if you’re working in any profession, an idle worker is unwanted by any employer. If an employee is unproductive and idle, that company may lose money, clients, and eventually suffer. Idle doctors cannot give their patients the best care and neglect their duties. These are some examples we can see around us, but we must now look at what it means according to the Bible.
In the Bible, that phrase takes on a new meaning.
We should not be idle in our lives of faith. Being idle is being unproductive. Instead of working hard to complete your task, you’re letting it go by the wayside and it will end up hurting you in the end. If we let our lives of faith become idle, meaning not daily reading the word, praying, etc., the devil uses that as an opportunity to lead us astray. We may become more concerned with our daily lives, our work, family or other relationships, and let our own desires get the best of us. When that happens, it’s easy to leave the word and God, but if we do that it will be hard to come back. We are warned against idleness in the Bible often, both in the Old and New Testaments. One passage that’s good to keep in mind is from Proverbs.
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
Proverbs 6:10-11
What these verses talk about is being complacent, in other words, they are those who say they believe in God and Jesus, but only go to church once (or twice) a week and maybe pray a few times a week. We’ve got to ask ourselves if God really wants believers who are like that. God has His standard by which we must live a life of faith, that is, the Word. If we don’t know God’s Word completely or don’t understand it correctly, then how can we know for sure our life of faith is pleasing to God? We must know God’s Word and obey it accordingly so we can do God’s will.
Let Us Run Until the End!
If we look in the book of Acts, the disciples worked tirelessly after Jesus went to heaven and spread the gospel. They put their lives on the line for the sake of the gospel. The disciples were imprisoned, beaten and flogged, shipwrecked, persecuted in almost every town they went to, and eventually killed. They were not idle. Here are a couple of examples shown in Acts.
And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Acts 16:20-24
and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
Acts 5:40-42
Through the disciples’ efforts and sacrifices, the number of believers grew and grew thanks to the spirit of God. For us today, we must reflect and see if we are putting in the same effort. We must not make a big deal about our work for God’s church, but pray God sends His spirits to help us and strengthen us. When things get tiring, challenging, when persecution comes, we must remember what Jesus Christ and his disciples went through and try to humble ourselves. We must also not give up or become tired of doing God’s work, that is, preaching the gospel.
As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.
2 Thessalonians 3:13
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:9-10
The passage above talks about doing “good”. What does this mean? Is it the kind of “good” like helping others or giving to charity? In God’s eyes, “good” is obeying His commands. For us today that means to understand the revealed word given by the one whom God and Jesus sent. And after learning it, share it with others so they too can be saved. Jesus and the disciples worked tirelessly to advance the gospel. They endured so much for the sake of the gospel. We should follow their example despite whatever trials and hardships come our way. We know our hope is in God and heaven. So, with that said, let us keep these things in mind and work on strengthening ourselves in faith and understanding of the Word, and then work on evangelizing others.
If you want to avoid having idle hands and want to have an understanding of God’s word, please go here. This is the first step to truly understanding.
Written by Kenny
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