DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- BUSY-BODIES

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – BUSY BODIES

"For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies." (II Thessalonians 3:11)

There were, apparently, people in the church at Thessalonica who were loafers, who did not want to work to provide for their own needs, so they had lots of extra time on their hands. Instead of using their time to do God's work and bless other people, they occupied their time with frivolous junk.

According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, the word "busybody" means literally, "to be working round about, instead of at one's own business." They are busy - bodies, engaged in useless, trivial pursuits. They keep their bodies busy with things that are none of their business. They don't have time to do productive work, but have plenty of time and energy to meddle in affairs that are not their concern and are of no value.

Paul's advice, was, "Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread" (vs 12). In other words, quit meddling in other peoples' affairs, and quite sponging off of others to feed your stomach, and instead work quietly at your own affairs. Take care of your own problems instead of trying to solve everyone else's.

The old saying is, "An idle mind is the devil's playground." The antidote is to keep our minds and our lives occupied with godly things, so that we have no time to be employed in useless things.

In our age, we have more leisure time than many cultures have had. May we use that time to do things that have eternal value and advance the Kingdom of God, and not waste it on trivial things. There is much work to be done for Jesus. If we are involved in God's work, we are less apt to spend our time being busybodies, and more apt to be busy bodies for Jesus.

Love, Dad