Work to have...

Saturday 1 May 2021

Work to have...

Let him who stole stop stealing ; rather, let him take the trouble to work honestly with his own hands in order to have something to give to those in need. Ephesians 4:28

The book of Proverbs repeatedly denounces the lazy to whom it promises poverty and famine.

It would be easy to conclude that satiation and prosperity belong to those who roll up their sleeves and set to work, even if the Proverbs did not say so ! Yet is this the best reason to get down to business ?

The apostle Paul, in our verse, contrasts work with theft, but not to hook the benefit of prosperity to it. We might like to continue the verse that I expressly interrupted as follows :... to have enough to pay for a vacation, to build a beautiful villa, to afford a luxury car or the long coveted swimming pool. Or, quite simply : to work to have enough to live soberly without depending on anyone.

But do you know what Paul is saying ?… That he rather take the trouble to work with his own hands in order to have something to give to those in need.

This is perhaps overturning our practical values. First, he indirectly denounces those who enrich themselves by making others work. Then he glorifies manual labor. Finally, he offers to forget about himself, his dreams, his personal well-being, to make money the means to help the needy.

A true disciple of Christ is someone who loves God and others more than himself and who proves it.

Richard Douliere

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Proposed reading : Book of Proverbs, chapter 6, verses 6 to 11.

Source (Live Today)