Steven J. Cole wrote the following article and I thought it was worth sharing. The Scripture verses are taken from Genesis chapter two.
Some people think of “Paradise” as a place where you lie in a hammock under a palm tree, never lifting a finger. But God planted a garden and put Adam there to cultivate it and keep it before the fall (2:15). God also assigned Adam the work of naming the animals (2:19-20), a “mental” job. Thus, before the fall, God gave man both physical and mental labor as legitimate enterprises. A Swedish proverb says, “God gives every bird his worm, but he does not throw it into the nest.” Even in paradise, Adam had to work for his food.
Here we are paying people not to work. The state just sent me a check, thanking me for working during the Covid epidemic. I’m going to work because I was designed to and you don’t have to thank me. During Covid, I would have worked two jobs to help EMS if they were in a crisis.
This subject was addressed by Paul two thousand years ago.
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
What a help to the economy if we applied this principle. I’m not talking about those folks who earned their rocking chair by giving their youth to filling an occupational slot or those with physical disabilities.
Give it some thought.
Gary