I love Saturday mornings. In the fall I am usually into my third hour of hunting by now. But it's February and there isn't much to do today but take care of some chores at a slow pace. So my hot Door County Mocha Mint coffee is next to me and there is wood crackling and blazing in the fireplace. Gibbs, my trusty sidekick is at the ready in case I move. He is parked right on my feet. My wife is up early getting ready for a "girls luncheon" which makes me glad that I am of the gender that does not have lace on our underwear. Guys do early morning breakfasts and eat all the bacon and eggs that our wives don't need to know about. The ladies will order some small little piece of lettuce decorated with bits of unidentifiable seafood and a hint of cucumber and then lie about how good it was. When what they really wanted was a juicy burger with raw onions and fries. Go figure.
Ok here's the message. Last night we attended a sporting event down town. When we left the event and were walking to ransom our car from the parking lot pirates who charge enough to buy groceries for two for a week, a stranger walked up to us. He began to explain that he was down and out and wondered of we could spare a dollar or two so he could eat. My wife started to reach into her purse and pull out a couple of dollars. I stopped her which alarmed her at first. I asked the young man if he would like ten dollars instead. He smiled and said "sure"!!! I pointed to our car which was just in sight and said "great. The windows on that Jeep are a mess. I just happen to have some towels and window wash in the Jeep. If you help me wash them I will give you the money. It should only take us 5 minutes". He finally made eye contact with me and gave me a dirty look and left. Notice I was willing to work side by side. This man was not handicapped, elderly, or sick. He was fully capable of five minutes worth of work.
Within two minutes we were stopped by another man as we entered the Jeep. The same scenario occurred only with a different man. When I offered the same deal to this man, he asked a question. "You are offering me some work"? I said "yes" but that I would work with him. We washed the windows and mirrors and he was smiling the whole time. We shook hands at the end and the pay was given. He turned back to us and said. "I will pray for the both of you. You fed me tonight and tomorrow, but better yet you gave me some work. Thank you."
Hebrews 13:2King James Version (KJV)
2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
I guess we will never know about this one????
I don't pass up the red bucket bell ringers at Christmas time. I won't let a veteran, handicapped person or little kids go hungry without trying to help. I know that if you are reading this my friends you are of the same style. But be wise! Offer some work to an able bodied person. See if you get eye contact. Listen for the excuse. The other man continued down the street asking for money and did not receive any. I gave a bag of clean rags to the other man and my spray bottle. When we left the pirate lot he was washing another set of windows.
2 Thessalonians 3 The Message (MSG)
Those Who Are Lazy
3 1-3 One more thing, friends: Pray for us. Pray that the Master’s Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response, just as it did among you. And pray that we’ll be rescued from these scoundrels who are trying to do us in. I’m finding that not all “believers” are believers. But the Master never lets us down. He’ll stick by you and protect you from evil.
4-5 Because of the Master, we have great confidence in you. We know you’re doing everything we told you and will continue doing it. May the Master take you by the hand and lead you along the path of God’s love and Christ’s endurance.6-9 Our orders—backed up by the Master, Jesus—are to refuse to have anything to do with those among you who are lazy and refuse to work the way we taught you. Don’t permit them to freeload on the rest. We showed you how to pull your weight when we were with you, so get on with it. We didn’t sit around on our hands expecting others to take care of us. In fact, we worked our fingers to the bone, up half the night moonlighting so you wouldn’t be burdened with taking care of us. And it wasn’t because we didn’t have a right to your support; we did. We simply wanted to provide an example of diligence, hoping it would prove contagious.
10-13 Don’t you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” And now we’re getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately—no excuses, no arguments—and earn their own keep. Friends, don’t slack off in doing your duty.
14-15 If anyone refuses to obey our clear command written in this letter, don’t let him get by with it. Point out such a person and refuse to subsidize his freeloading. Maybe then he’ll think twice. But don’t treat him as an enemy. Sit him down and talk about the problem as someone who cares.
God bless,
Marty
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