Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, THAT HE MAY HAVE TO GIVE TO HIM THAT NEEDETH. – Ephesians 4:28
I have shewed you all things, how THAT SO LABOURING YE OUGHT TO SUPPORT THE WEAK, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. – Acts 20:35
What an interesting injunction! This is certainly a revolutionary reason for recommending hard work.
Paul says, “I want you to work, so that you may have funds with which to support the poor.” Many times we have heard believers talk about how they don’t really want to be rich, they just want to be comfortable.
Well, no where are we told to be rich, or comfortable either. Instead, we are told to work hard and earn money so that we may be able to give to those who need it. You may have various financial goals and targets in life. Today I would like to ask you to add the support of the poor and needy around you to the list.
Work hard. For the sake of the poor.
-jide lawal
2 Comments
Deji Oyebamiji
Pastor, you instructed me to work hard for the sake of the poor. Who are the poor? Can they hereby be defined as all those who don’t have the ability to work or is there another definition for that term ‘the poor.’
Wunmi Koledoye
It such an irony if we assume Paul meant to work so hard so we meet the needs of the lazy; who choose not to work. Need i say this that i believe from the begining of the chapter PAUL just wanted to crown the message of “oneness” all up; as all he shared from verse points to this……….covering up for the weakness in another man’s gifts with the strengths of ours ( vice versa), until we become so well blended and well tutored to an extent where we ourselves symbolise perfection in God. It’s PAUL’s charge to the Ephesians and us to grow and let go of our old ways; while we were still unbelievers. He refers to this growth being a function of our renewed minds and commends us to reflect this new inner man on the outside as well – lettimng our motives of doing things be generally to bless others. Helping others who cant work with our generous earnings is just part of that!