II THESSALONIANS 3:6-15

6  Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us.

7  For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you,

8  and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you.

9  This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate.

10  For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.

11  For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.

12  Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

13  Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

14  Take note of those who do not obey what we say in this letter; have nothing to do with them, so that they may be ashamed.

15  Do not regard them as enemies, but warn them as believers.

Many years ago I came across a saying that makes a lot of sense. According to the saying there are three ways you can look at the world around you.  An optimist will look at the world and tell you that the glass is half full.  A pessimist will look at the world and tell you that the glass is half empty.  A child of  God will look at the world and say to you, “My cup runneth over.  Thank You Lord.”

When you have a good relationship with God you’re going to take a little time every day to give thanks for your blessings and that includes the blessings that make you sweat a little.  That’s right. It’s important to remember that some of life’s blessings are free and some of life’s blessings make you sweat a little for them.  The Apostle Paul made that clear in his second Letter to the Thessalonians.  He also made it clear that he didn’t have any patience for people who didn’t want to work for their blessings.  Listen again to the words that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians.  Paul wrote, “we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.  Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”  If that wasn’t stern enough Paul also threw in this warning for good measure.  “If any one will not work, let him not eat.” 

Paul was right.  A lot of life’s blessings aren’t free. You have to work for them.

Take Michael Jordan for example. God blessed Michael Jordan a lot of physical talent.  Michael Jordan had to take that physical talent though and work hard to become a superstar on the basketball court.  God blessed Luciano Pavarotti with an incredible set of vocal chords. Luciano Pavarotti had to take those vocal chords though and work hard to become a famous tenor.  The same thing is true for you and me.  You have to take the talent and the ability that God gives you and work hard to put a roof over your head and food on your table and clothes on your back.  Those blessings don’t just materialize out of thin air.

Paul told the Thessalonians that you can’t expect God to bless you if you’re not willing to work for the blessings that you want. Based upon the words that he wrote I think it’s safe to say that Paul wouldn’t approve of the entitlement attitude that seems to be a big part of our culture these days. A father came face to face with that entitlement attitude one day when he picked up the phone and called his house.  When his teenage son answered the phone, the father asked him what he was doing.  “Oh,” the son said. “I’m just watching television.” The father then asked the son what his mother was doing. The son replied, “She outside painting the house.” When the father heard that he scolded the son for being lazy.  “Son,” he said, “I want you to go outside right now and help your mother paint the house.”  “I can’t,” the son replied.  “Why not?” the father asked.  “Because,” the son said, “grandma is already using the other brush.”

Paul had no use for the entitlement attitude that wants something for nothing.  That’s why he got angry with the  Thessalonians. “If anyone will not work, let him not eat.”

Now there were two reasons for the laziness that seemed to be plaguing the Thessalonians.  One of the reasons some of them refused to work was because they were convinced it was only a matter of days before Jesus returned to earth in all his glory. When that happened they knew that world was going to come to an end.  So they felt that it was silly to spend a lot of time tending their nets and working in the fields. The other reason some of them refused to work was because they were convinced that it was a sacred duty for their richer sisters and brothers in the church to take care of them. 

In his letter Paul did his best to put a stop to all of that entitlement attitude. He told pointed out that he was an apostle and if he could work with all of the other responsibilities he had on his shoulders then they could too.   “If anyone will not work. Let him not eat.”

Now Paul would be the first one to admit that a lot of God’s blessings are free. For example, it doesn’t cost you a thing to watch a beautiful sunset.  It doesn’t cost you a thing to listen to the loons calling to each other in the middle of the night.  It doesn’t cost you a thing to feel the sand between your toes while walking along a beach.  All of those blessings come to you from God with no strings attached.

Some of God’s blessings are free.  On the other hand some of God’s blessings only come to you after a lot of hard work and Paul was convinced that sometimes it’s good to have to sweat and struggle and make sacrifices for those blessings. That’s because the hard work can make you a better person. When a blessing doesn’t come easy it can make you wiser.  It can make you more patient.  It can make you more persistent.  When a blessing doesn’t come easy it can make you better appreciate the blessings that you already have. It can also fill you with compassion for the person who doesn’t have a roof over his head or food on his table or clothes on his back.

The fact that life isn’t always easy can be a blessing in itself. That’s the point that Paul Harvey made in some words of advice that he wrote for his grandchildren.   

He shared those words of advice during one of his radio shows many years ago.

He said, “We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.  For my grandchildren, I'd like better.  I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.  I really would.  I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.  I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.  And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen. It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.  I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in, I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother.  And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.   When you want to see a movie and your little brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him.  I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.  On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.  If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.  I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.  When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.  I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory  soap tastes like.  May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole. I don’t care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you…a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.  I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.  May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.  I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.  These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.  Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss.  I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.”

When you hear what Paul Harvey said and what the Apostle Paul wrote you begin to realize that there dangers behind that entitlement attitude.  You also begin to realize that it’s important to give thanks for the blessings that make you sweat a little.   Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

November 14, 2010