After God created Adam, the first thing He gave him to do was work (naming all the animals). Now, some people assume that, because they are doing the work of God, because they are serving, they should remain idle. My brother, my sister, God hates idleness. Today, a growing number of young people are rushing into the system to be assisted instead of fighting hard to use their hands and feet to find a work! Look at what the Apostle Paul, the greatest evangelist and servant of the Most High said: “You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:34-35). This alone should tell us that doing the work of God does not exempt us from working to be able to feed ourselves and help people around us. Yes, the Lord invites us to take responsible actions: “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28). Now, let’s look at today’s verse : “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 you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” You see some believers become idle and they wrongly believe that God expects no fruit from their transformed life because we are saved by grace through faith. Therefore, God will provide. True enough, but your have a part to play here my friend: find an activity to do, then God will bless it: that’s how He provides! Yet, the Bible also says: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). Christians are not saved by works, but they do show their faith by their works too: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26). Let me also remind you that, yes, God is our provider, but He also says that “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). My friend, the Bible says “ANYONE!”. How can you provide for your family if you are idle? If God has given you hands, it is for you to work… Being in the image of God means doing what He does, at our own level: He is the great provider, so you ought to be one too by being productive, not only for your own good but also for the others. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name. [facebook] [retweet]