Idle Lives

2020 gave a lot of people more idle time than ever. Whether it was due to job loss or working from home, life changed for a lot of people due to the reaction to the pandemic and many found themselves with more downtime than usual. The UK reports that adults spent 40% of their waking hours in front of a screen on average during the 2020 lockdowns. Streaming service subscriptions surged, with all of the major streaming service providers finishing the year with 50% more U.S. subscribers. We definitely had more idle time than ever before, and while a little time to rest or catch your breath from the busyness of life is okay, living an idle life is not.

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.” (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

Hard work was very important to Paul and he didn’t seem to be okay with taking things from people, be it food or shelter; in fact, he saw this as a burden (v.8). Paul earned his living as a tent maker (Acts 18:3) and if he could help it, he would supply for his own needs rather than be a financial burden on the early churches. Living an idle life was not an option for Paul.

“You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:34-35)

Paul understood the importance of hard work and when we think of all he accomplished as an apostle of the Lord, it is easy to forget that Paul worked a job to earn his own living. Sometimes we think it has to be one or the other: I will either work in ministry or work at a day job. Two thousand years ago, Paul showed us that we can work in ministry for the Lord and earn a living with our own two hands.

“Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11-13)

The lack of work, the sheer lack of something to do, can very easily lead to meddling in other people’s business. The film Rear Window explores this very idea as a man with nothing to do, having recently been confined to a wheelchair, begins watching his neighbors. This can happen to us, not only with the world outside of our window, but the world on our phone screens. Social media has provided us with limitless windows through which to peer and if we are not careful, we can spend hours peering through the social media windows of other people’s lives while missing out on our own. 

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Let us be wise with the time that is given to us, making the best use of it because these certainly are evil days. What will you do with your idle time? Are you going to spend your extra time indulging in the world and its offerings or will you spend it doing Kingdom work, never tiring of doing good, and drawing closer to our Lord?

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed