God blesses hard work, not laziness

Sat, 16 Sep 2023

‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’ 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Compassion without accountability is just indulgence. The Bible teaches that we have a responsibility to feed those who are truly hungry and can’t provide for themselves. But let’s face it; there are some folks who would rather go hungry than go to work. Solomon writes, ‘Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger’ (Proverbs 19:15 NKJV). Centuries later, the apostle Paul was even more explicit: ‘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 NIV).

Listen to what Solomon says about the sluggard: ‘The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting’ (Proverbs 12:27 NKJV). ‘A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again’ (Proverbs 19:24 NKJV). Talk about laziness! He wants his bread buttered, but he wants someone else to butter it for him. If he kills a deer while he is hunting, he won’t even clean the meat and cook it; he wants someone else to cook it for him and serve it to him.

What’s the Bible talking about here? It’s talking about the person who never starts a job, and if you give them one, they either won’t finish it, or they will do it only halfway. Then Solomon wraps it all up in one final zinger. ‘The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labour’ (Proverbs 21:25 NKJV). There are no two ways about it; if you want God’s blessing on your life, you have to be willing to work!

Make we hear word...

But humans can give theirs freely....


Its all human....

The passage you provided from 2 Thessalonians 3:10 indeed emphasizes the importance of work and the principle that those who are unwilling to work should not expect to eat. It encourages personal responsibility and productivity. It's a biblical perspective that highlights the need for individuals to contribute to their own well-being and not rely on others for sustenance when they are capable of working.

Fellow Hunting

The additional verses from the Book of Proverbs further illustrate the negative consequences of laziness and the importance of diligence and effort. These verses emphasize that laziness can lead to hunger and unfulfilled desires, and they encourage individuals to take initiative, work diligently, and not be idle or reliant on others to do everything for them.

In summary, the biblical passages and verses you provided emphasize the value of hard work, personal responsibility, and the importance of not being lazy or idle when one is capable of working. They promote the idea that work is a virtue and that individuals should be willing to put in effort to provide for themselves and their needs.