Cut the Gossip

For John, BLUF:  Everyone needs to do their part.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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I have been hitting the First Readings recently, but this week it was the Second Reading that caught my attention.  It is from St Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians, 3:7-12.

Brothers and sisters:
You know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day
we worked, so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you,
we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work,
neither should that one eat.
We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way,
by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.
Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly
and to eat their own food.

Well, this seems pretty hard.  If you don't work, you shouldn't eat at the expense of others.  But there is another side to this.  That is that those who are laying about should not be gossiping and butting into the business of others.  In my travels I seen this second action cause trouble for people and communities.  I think this is not so much about not working, as it is about being a louse.

While we are encouraged to show charity we are also expected to pull our own weight.

This is a reading worth pondering.

Regards  —  Cliff