“You make all kinds of mistakes, but as long as you are generous and true and also fierce, you cannot hurt the world or even seriously distress her.”
― Winston S. Churchill
ISAIAH 59-61
1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,a
1 THESSALONIANS 4
Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
This verse in 1 Thessalonians is addressing those who were not willing to work and were using the graciousness and service of others simply because they didn't want to work. In essence Paul is commanding them that trusting God does not give them a right to not work and or permission to take advantage of the generosity of others. Paul is telling them that if they can work...they need to work. For it is not good for a man to be dependent on another. This is different than receiving help.JOURNAL
These verses would be easy to misuse. For they could be used as a means to not give, serve and be generous. It is interesting that Paul is not telling them to stop giving but actually is addressing those who are not working. Therefore I can take away the teaching that I am to work to not be dependent on any man. But at the same time I am to give and work as if working for God and giving to him. I am to share whether those I share with deserve it or not...it is not my call to judge. I am however commanded to work and give.
35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
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