Idle Hands Are ___?

II Thessalonians 3:6-13
Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone's bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

__________

"Idle hands are the devil's playthings." You might have heard this saying before. Either from a parent, book, or television show. It's one of those maxims that are often mistaken as Scripture verses. Derived from that old Protestant work ethic that hard labor brings about good things, we find that idleness, or the stewardship of our time, is at the center of our reflection this morning. But what exactly does it mean to be "idle?" And more importantly, does being "idle" mean nothing productive is happening? I think we'll find this morning that we need to readjust how we spend our days. We might discover that in doing so, our lives will be the better for it, and our souls will be fuller than they were if we give them the attention that they need. 

Last week in our reading from II Thessalonians, we saw how Paul was urging the people not to believe the rumors or spread falsehoods amongst the members of the church. This morning we find that Paul continues his letter to the church by imploring members to live into the work that is expected of them. Some refuse to participate in the mission of the church, others sit and watch, and there are those whom Paul calls "busybodies." There are parts of this morning's reading from the letter to the church in Thessalonica that should speak to us, should give us a nudge as we consider what it means to be stewards of our time and our energies. And at the same time, we find some reassurance that these struggles are ones that even the earliest Christians encountered in their daily lives. 

There is something that stands out this morning that I had to give a lot of thought to as we consider what it means to be stewards of our time and energy. And that is what it means to be "idle." It's a word that Paul uses time a handful of times. But again, I ask, "What does it mean to be idle?" There's a definition from Merriam Webster that speaks to me, which defines "idle" as being, "lacking worth or basis." Being idle doesn't mean we're just sitting on our hands doing nothing! I mean it can, but I think the challenging part for us to hear this morning is the question of whether we are doing things of any value, things that build up the body of Christ, enrich our souls, feed them, or challenge us. Or are we running around, being busybodies doing idle work? 

I'll be the first to admit that I am at fault when it comes to being "idle" with my time. Of course, I enjoy the various hobbies that I have and spending time with friends and family, but there are large portions of my day in which I know I just scroll through my phone mindlessly. It's not because I have an important email or text, but I would instead fill the "blank" spaces of my day with something rather than nothing. It's tempting to fill in the gaps with things a quantity of things rather than quality things because maybe in those in-between moments, we won't like what we have to face instead. Being busy doesn't always mean that our souls are being nurtured. Running around at breakneck speeds doesn't indicate whether or not we are a healthy follower of God. It may look like it, but most often, it results in feeling worn and on the verge of burning out. 

And while we are talking about stewardship of our time and energies concerning the church, this challenging question is one that applies to our everyday lives. All you have to do is a quick Google search to find countless articles about how over scheduled and overworked our lives have become. And it's not just adults, kids, teens, and young adults find themselves being whirled around by activities, work, school, and other commitments that seem like they will never end. Sometimes the busyness is unavoidable, but sometimes we jam-pack our schedules in order to keep from coming face to face with our feelings. Doing idle work will not solve all our problems. It may feel like it is, but it's not a solution that is sustainable or an answer that best honors the gift of our time and energy as people who were created to be much more than machines that run around nonstop. 

At the end of the day, we need to ask ourselves, "Are we busy with things that are meaningful, or are we busy for the sake of being busy?" It's a difficult question because it asks whether or not we will let things go so that something new (something that isn't idle work) can make its way into the picture. Perhaps that means changing how we think about fundraisers or events that we participate in regularly. Maybe it means that instead of filling our calendars to the breaking point, we carve out time to do things that feed our souls (i.e., daily devotions, meditation, local mission projects, etc.). Taking an inventory of what we choose to expend energy on will hopefully reveal what we need to change so that our lives bear the fullest witness to the glory of God. Not because our lives are always full, but because they reflect more holistically what it means to be people who yearn for something that goes beyond the ordinary. 

I think we must address another critical aspect of Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica. We hear Paul essential telling his audience, "If you don't work, you don't eat." It might be easier to take Paul's words at face value, but he is appealing to the people in terms that they might understand. Ultimately Paul is not concerned with "work" in the traditional sense. Paul is worried about the spiritual work that is not being done because, as we read last week, people thought that Christ had already returned! So the church in Thessalonica was plagued by idle work, busywork, that was not feeding their spiritual bodies or nourishing their hungry souls. That is why it is why it is necessary for us to be mindful of what it means to be good stewards of our time. If we don’t watch out the time and energy we set aside for God might be swallowed up by something else. 

You might be asking yourselves at this point, "Okay, so what do we do?" which in all honesty, is a valid question. The good news that we hear in this morning's reading from Paul should be a starting point at the very least. That is to say that we need to take a hard look at how we spend our time and how much of it is made up of things that are life-giving and things that are idle or distracting work. For me, that means I have to take an honest look at how much I use my mobile device. For others, it might mean asking what it looks like to be increasingly intentional about the time we have with friends, family, and God. And in those assessments should help us take the first step in becoming healthier people, healthier disciples, and a healthier church. 

In one of the posts that I made for our Facebook page, I shared how the time we take, or the rest we find to do that kind of soul searching is not idle. It may be best to say that our start of becoming better stewards of our time and energies begins with taking a Sabbath breath, a sacred rest. In all our running around, we may have forgotten what it means to not do anything at all. Not in a lazy way, but in a way where our bodies and minds can heal and find inner peace and healing. It's a spiritual practice, stewardship of our time and energies because it requires that we first be gracious to ourselves. And being kind, being gracious to yourself is not an easy thing to do when the world tells you that you need to keep moving or else you an unproductive individual. 

So how will you begin your journey of becoming a better steward of your time and energy? It's vital as anything else because if we don't exercise this spiritual muscle, then we won't be able to feel satisfaction in our work as disciples of Jesus Christ. So go for a stroll, allow yourself to daydream, make a concerted effort to make time for you grow in body and spirit in whatever form that may take. I'm serious! Being a busybody won't get us anywhere, well it may get us somewhere, but not where we need to be. As we draw close to the end of our concentrated focus on stewardship, the consideration of our time and energy becomes ever more vital, and we'll soon come to know that it impacts many different areas as well. So how will you start this practice of being a better steward of your time? All I can say is that I hope it leads you to a place where your spirit finds the sustenance that it need, with God's help. Amen.