2 Thessalonians 3
"For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate" (2 Thess 3:7-9).
Paul, Silas, and Timothy worked very hard during the few weeks they were among the Thessalonians. They didn't take any money from the Thessalonians, even though they had that right. They set an example of hard work for the Thessalonians to follow after they had gone.
There are two lessons here. First, disciple makers must be hard workers. What sets apart a disciple maker from a disciple is the amount of work he or she puts into the key objective of multiplying disciples of Jesus. If I don't work hard, I can't be a disciple maker. Second, hard work is for every believer. None of us are to be idle. All of us are to be engaged in good, honest work. Christians are to be the best workers.
Father, I feel I need to work harder for the gospel. Some of my heroes--the apostle Paul, R. A. Torrey, Lewis S. Chafer, Francis Schaeffer--worked incredibly hard and were very focused on the great commission. I want to be like that, by your grace. May I set aside my own interests for the interests of others and not focus on my own happiness and gratifying my own desires. May I not be distracted by the world from the number one objective of making disciples. In Jesus' name, amen.
- Jeff Coleman