Idle hands are the devil’s workshop, or so Proverbs 16:27-29 tells us.
In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12, Paul says to avoid any brother who is idle. Paul brags that he hasn’t been idle, has refused to eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, and has labored night and day so as not to be a burden.
2 Timothy 5:13 tells us idlers are prone to gossip and become busybodies who say inappropriate things.
Our lesson must surely be that our Christian faith is exemplified by what we do with our hands. The harder we work, the closer we are to Christ’s example and the way he intends for us to live.
Hebrews 11:6 reveals the other side of the coin.
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
The strength of our hands and the speed of our feet won’t earn us admission into heaven. We can sell our goods and give everything to the poor, and it will make no difference when we arrive at the Pearly Gates. Become a missionary, walk a mile on our knees, or feed the hungry every Wednesday night . . . all that’s sacrificial and wonderful, but it pales before our faith in God.
It’s our belief in him that earns our salvation. We must draw near to Jesus in our heart, not just with our hands. We must have faith in his eternal reward, so that heaven will become ours.
The one way to Christ is through belief in his death, resurrection, and divine nature. Through his outstretched hand, he draws us unto him.
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Code: FGO.C.21.18f.vp.esv