Do You have a Job?

“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (II Thessalonians 3:10)

On an early television program there was a leading character named, “Gillis.” His buddy was Maynard G. Crebbs, a somewhat lazy fellow. When Gillis would mention the word, “work,” Maynard would recoil and repeat the word, “work” in horrified tones as though Gillis had said a dirty word.

Work is an honorable thing. God told Adam, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground.” (Genesis 3:19)

There are people who cannot work for health reasons, bodily afflictions and the like. Then there are those who could work, but will not. This latter group is being addressed in our text. There is a difference in those who “cannot” work and those who “will not” work.  One man said of his trifling son who would not work, “He just hasn’t got hungry enough yet.” A country should count it an honor to help feed the unfortunate. A country should hang its collective head in shame when it is guilty of feeding those who are unwilling to work.

On this Labor Day if you have health to work, to be gainfully employed, can earn a day’s pay for a day’s work and if you are holding down a steady job be thankful to God.