He who will not work shall not eat
Last week I had some unwelcome guests trespass on my property. Not only were they trespassing, they also stole over 12 dozen ears of sweet corn. I am going to set up a border fence this week and charge it with electricity. Hopefully it will get the thieves’ attention and make them change their mind about stealing my sweet corn.
When God created his creatures he made them so they have to eat to live. He also made them to have hunger pangs which is a great motivator to work to get food to keep from getting hungry and/or starving to death. Have you ever thought about how much work would get done if we would not have to eat to live?
Hunger is a great motivator for us to work so we have something to eat. It also motivates us to store up something ahead so we have something to eat come winter. Squirrels are smart enough to store away food for the winter. Even dumb ants are smart enough to do that. Proverbs 6:6-8 (New Living Testament) reads, “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazy bones. Learn from their ways and become wise. Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.”
The Bible tells us if someone who can work but is unwilling to work let him go hungry. 2 Thessalonians 3:8,10,12 (New Living Testament) reads, “We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: Those unwilling to work will not get to eat. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.”
Whenever we do something for people who are capable of doing it for themselves, we promote laziness. I like Habitat for Humanity’s slogan — “Give people a hand up, not a hand out.” To help people help themselves and help those who cannot help themselves is one thing and worthy of our labor. But to give hand outs to people who are capable but unwilling to work only breeds laziness and irresponsibility.
When a guy says I will sit at home before I will work for less than $20 an hour, the best thing we can do for him is let him sit at home.
“The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much,” Ecclesiastes 5:12 (New King James Version)
May you have a good week unless you have other plans.
Maranatha. (Maranatha means, “Our Lord Cometh.”)
The Rev. Elton Yutzy is the associate pastor of the Maranatha Community Fellowship Church in Plain City. He can be reached by e-mail at revelton@gmail.com.
