Brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.
The Apostle Paul believed that work is good, and he taught everyone in the churches he supervised that they should work. He said, “People who refuse to work are not following the teaching that we gave them” (2 Thessalonians 3:6). Indeed, he went so far as to say that “Whoever will not work should not be allowed to eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Work, of course, can be hard. Work can make you tired. Some people are lazy and, therefore, try to avoid it. In response to this reality, Paul wrote the words of our verse for today. We should never get tired of doing good. We should take on the responsibility of work and do our part. Paul himself worked hard. Even though he had the right to ask the Thessalonians to support him in the ministry, he worked to earn money for what he needed (2 Thessalonians 3:9).
Paul’s command, however, applies to more than just work — it is a general principle of Christian morality. Paul warns the laity against laziness, and he urges the church members not to grow weary in spiritual work. Although doing what is good may not be easy, although it may take a lot of effort, we should do it anyway. After all, what alternatives do we have? Give up and do evil? That’s not going to make things easier. That’s just going to make things even more difficult.
Life does not always meet our expectations. Life does not always work out the way that we want. When we try to do the right thing and we’re confronted with results that are less than what we hoped for, the temptation is to be discouraged. The temptation is to get tired of doing well and perhaps to quit trying altogether. Paul’s word for us today is meant to help us see that God’s call is not optional.
Instead of giving up, then, we should seek help from the one who can keep us from getting tired. Isaiah said, “. . . those who trust in the LORD will become strong again . . . They will run and not get weak. They will walk and not get tired” (Isaiah 40:31). Those who turn to the Lord will never get tired of doing good.
By John Huisman, friend of Bible League International
