God Feeds The Sparrows, But He Doesn’t Throw The Worms
We hear that some among you are idle … Such people we command … to settle down and earn the food they eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:11-12
Eat, drink and be merry, “for tomorrow we die.” That was the misguided notion of God’s people in Isaiah’s day (Isaiah 22:13).
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“Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow the Lord returns.” That was the equally misguided notion of God’s people in Paul’s day. But Paul had a word of advice for the Thessalonians: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Martin Luther underscores this point.
WALK WITH MARTIN LUTHER
“To put it briefly, God wants people to work. It is true that God could support you without work, could let food and drink grow on the table for you. But he will not do this. He wants you to work and to use your reason in this matter.
“In everything God acts in such a way that he will provide, but we should work. If God did not bless, not one hair, not a solitary wisp of straw, would grow.
“At the same time God wants me to take this stand: I would have nothing whatever if I did not plow and sow. God does not want to have success come without work, and yet I am not to achieve it by my work.
“He does not want me to sit at home, to loaf and wait till a fried chicken flies into my mouth. That would be tempting God.”
WALK CLOSER TO GOD
God has promised to meet your needs, but as Martin Luther points out, he never promised to deliver your meals!
His responsibility, rather, is to “meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Your responsibility is this: “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Therefore, the best place for you to be when Christ returns: somewhere hard at work!
