Proper Waiting

Waiting comes in different forms. We wait for good news, or for bad news, hoping it won’t come but half expecting it will. All waiting can do strange things to the way we live:

  • ordinary things sometimes lose importance
  • or some things get more important
  • we may do “displacement activity”, busy with irrelevant things
  • we may do nothing – and just “freeze”

When Paul writes 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, he reminds the Christians in Thessalonica that he had told them of Jesus return as King. It was, and is, an important part of faith. It should be reflected in a proper way of life, not fully absorbed in what is now, and the way people do things now. We sometimes talk about a pilgrimage, us on a journey, with the idea of “passing through”. But we easily forget that really we’re waiting for someone else, and we can’t hurry the journey along.

Of course, someone always gets the wrong idea. Some Thessalonians heard Paul, and gave up work. What was the point if Jesus was coming back? So not only did they sponge on other people for food and necessities, in their idleness they started gossiping, giving the whole community a bad reputation. Paul is not having that. He had worked – not that he might not have claimed support, but he worked to give them an example.

This is not suggesting that the unemployed should starve! It is a reminder that Christians should be usefully occupied. All Christians. If you have to work for a living, good. Do it well, and make the most of those contacts you make to witness to your faith in Jesus. Not easy? Try to find help, and learn ways to do it properly – without bullying. Students, don’t waste that course! You have a responsibility there. If you don’t have to work for a living, or can’t get a job at the moment, good. Give thanks for your freedom, but don’t imagine you needn’t account for your use of time and energy! There is a lot to be done, in family & community.

Everybody, avoid gossip, and idle chatter which leads to general (and proper) criticism. There is a story (was it of John Wesley?), who was asked what he would do if he knew Jesus was coming back tomorrow. He took out his diary, checked his engagements, and said yes, that was what he’d do. We are all meant to live, to be ready for Jesus to come, but also to carry on as long as necessary. It’s all part of our understanding of God’s Kingdom:

  • on the one hand Jesus will come back, so don’t get too used to the way things are; don’t imagine that what everybody else does must be right
  • but don’t get so focussed on the future that you don’t do a good job of work (paid or voluntary!), or forget to help people now

Christian faith is never to be an excuse for not doing what needs to be done on earth now. But we always live knowing that what is on earth now is not as important as what will be at the end.

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