Danger of Idleness

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Wow!  Lots of convicting points in this passage.  Go read it. I’ll wait.

Done?  Feel good?  Did you even read it?   Go read. I’ll wait again.

Do you feel like you need to stay away from idle people?  Or do people need to stay away from an idle you?  

In this passage is a very strong emphasis on idleness and how dangerous it is. Paul reaaally thought negatively about it.  Did your mom or dad ever tell you to stay away from “so and so” because he/she does bad things?  Well, it’s not the bad ones that Paul is warning about.  It’s the idle ones.  It’s the lazy ones and the ones who aren’t very good with the time God gives them.  Paul’s wisdom compelled him to warn the Thessalonians about idleness,  and it’s because it’s one of the devil’s greatest weapons

The truth is that idleness and laziness is an epidemic.  If you call yourself a Christian and you happen to be around someone doing drugs and beating up people, chances are you probably won’t be compelled to go around and do the same thing.  But if you’re at work, and you see 3 of your coworkers browsing social media, instead of working, chances are you’ll eventually suffer the same fate.  Idleness is more dangerous than bad behavior. Simply because it leads to the bad behavior.

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

Now being active in the Spirit is amazing.  To be close with those who are active is also contagious.   I’m going to use a somewhat controversial topic. CROSSFIT.   If you’ve never heard of it, (of course you have) well it’s a fitness Cult...ure.   Fitness Culture.  Grace & I started to do CrossFit, and we’ve seen great results from it.  I believe it’s not so much the CrossFit exercises that accounted for our success, but the community.  The friends we made, and being a couple that tries to stay active, has really helped us stay active.  There’s encouragement, and a strive to do better and reach Personal Records.   Our Christian walks are no different and even more important.  Paul tells us not to grow weary in doing good, and I believe the best way to not grow weary, is to engage with our brothers and sisters in Christ in bringing Him glory.  We have to be intentional about it.   The Well Church has called us to be intentional, and if we are not, we are idle.

I encourage you Well-Church to be intentional.  Ask God to open your heart and constantly look for ways to be intentional. Do not be idle, and associate with those that are active.   Individually we are each like a match, but together we can make a huge bonfire.  

- Zane Bermundo