“Work: A Christian Obligation!”

“Work: A Christian Obligation!”(II Th.3:6-13).
Before the Fall, the first duty of man was stewardship of all other created things(Gen.1:28). In plainer language. “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it”(Gen.2:15).
We are not placed here for leisure. We are here to work and take care of what is placed at our disposal. We do not work as if we own what we work for. The man was put in the garden “to work it and take care of it.” When we work, we take care and when we take care, which means we are mere custodians (stewards). You can never know who will enjoy what you have laboured for.
We are not called upon to work nonstop. The body needs rest. There is need for leisure and relaxation, but we do not have to spend more time in leisure than work time. Yahoo boys, scammers, those who are addicted to PMUC, those who fall prey to the bring two persons kind of online businesses, and many others are those who want to enjoy sweet without any sweat.
There can be no sweet without sweat. Many of the not-well-to-do young people around us spend time drinking and wasting their brains combining numbers for horseracing that takes place thousands of miles away. They do not know the gymics of the actual race and the intrigues and mafia preceding each race.
Some are mere busybodies. Some young people usually gather at a drinking place around my place drinking “Fichu'” as early as 9.a.m, and discussing about how they missed this or that game by just one number. I’ve tried to educate them that “a gambler never wins; not even when s/he wins!” Interestingly there is this mumu guy who can neither read nor write. He does not even speak coherently and surely he has no idea of the game. But when others are studying the numbers to pair, he too will be very serious with any piece of paper, writing with a pen that has no ink. If you watch his level of concentration you may think that he is actually doing something important. Meanwhile he is just a busybody clown.
His seriousness reminds me of the village clown in Sanda Ebai’s, “The Good Foot.” This guy will visit a home and is given the best seat. He takes out an old newspaper and concentrates on reading and making funny gestures as if he is intrigued by what he is reading. Children would not be allowed to talk, so that he shouldn’t be disturbed. Yet he never told anybody what he had read. One day he was exposed when an educated person drew his attention that he was reading the newspaper held upside down! What a nincompoop and busybody!
Christian teaching on work and stewardship commands us “to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the” received teaching.
Ministers of the gospel should be the pacesetters as they use their hands to do something that puts food on their table and even help others. We the ministers deserve help from the Christians, because our ministration is already our work. But we should be models for the Christians to follow as we engage in tent-making. “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
This is an imperative to idle and busybody Christians: In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ settle down and earn the bread you eat.
However, this does not automatically shut the door of Christian hospitality and care for the have-nots! We should “never tire of doing what is right.”
My friend, the LORD is about to bless the work of your hands at your place of work. Make sure he finds you there, earning the breat you eat, for there is no food for a lazy person!
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit help me to live by the teaching I’ve received and to earn the bread that I eat. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.