Daily devotional, Feb 17, 2024 Doing Nothing

"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”" 
2 Thessalonians 3:10

Juan Tamad is a popular Filipino literary character who has become the poster boy for utter laziness. Instead of plucking a fruit from the tree, he decides to lay down beneath it, open his mouth, and wait for the fruit to drop on his mouth. Now, we ask, is there anything wrong with what he did apart from just being his slothful self?

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are being called to a life of diligence. No, we are not being asked to be workaholics and worship money and career. But we are being asked to do what we can to provide for ourselves and our families using the blessings bestowed upon us by the Lord.

"Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 
1 Timothy 5:8

Now, working does not always mean bringing home money. For instance, stay at home moms like us have our own work to do even if it does not come with a monetary equivalent. Not working outside the house does not mean we are lazy. We are in fact doing chores and parenting almost all our waking hours right?

Children on the other hand should be taught to do chores as well. This teaches them to do their part in the household, and be responsible people. And while we are being encouraged to provide for our family and help out our relatives, it does not mean that we will allow our able-bodied kin to do nothing. In his letter to the Thessalonian Church, St. Paul the Apostle to follow his example of not depending on anyone for their everyday needs and not being a burden to anyone.

"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10

The Parable of Talents (you can read this from the Book of Matthew Chapter 25) can also be interpreted as a story that prompts us to use the resources and skills given to us by the Lord. In that story, the person who did not use his talents was punished severely:

"And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 
Matthew 25:30

The Book of Proverbs also contain a lot of passages that warn about the natural consequences of laziness, foremost of which is poverty:

"How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man." 
Proverbs 6:9-11

The sin of doing nothing however is not just confined on working for one’s needs. Christians like us can commit such sin if we withhold goodness from others.

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,when it is in your power to do it.Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you." 
Proverbs 3:27-28

Apart from doing good, we are also commanded to show concern towards others. For instance, when we do not defend someone being slandered when we know the truth, just because we want to preserve our own interest, we commit a sin. Specifically, we are violating the commandment of not bearing false witness against a neighbor. By not witnessing about the truth, we inadvertently condoned character assassination.

At the end of the day, as followers of Jesus we are called to do our best in everything. Even our forefather Adam, who was placed by God in the Garden of Eden — where all his needed resources are available– did not get a table filled with ready to eat food. He had to get from the trees and was still commanded to work by naming each of the creatures and the plants there.

"The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." 
Genesis 2:15

We cannot just pray for providence, depend on others and do nothing. Even God’s promises come with respective premises. We have to do our part and when we do, we are encouraged to work for God’s glory.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10 and Matthew 25:14-30 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question:  In which area of life are you lazy? Can you consider yourself diligent?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for inviting me to a life of diligence. I want to follow your example, so empower me to use the gifts you have bestowed on me, so that I can honor you with my work. Amen.