Feeding those in need.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 

2 Thessalonians 3 has a bad habit of being misinterpreted. The writer, Paul or someone like him, says that those who have come to share the good news should work. He says that those who can should work. People had been retiring early because they thought that the end of days was coming soon. They were depending on the community to feed them, although they were perfectly capable of holding their jobs. Those people should work. Even if tomorrow is the last day, we can work to make the world better today.

What it doesn’t say here is that those who cannot work should be shamed or starved. There will always be people who aren’t able to work. It may be a health condition, from a 24-hour stomach bug to chronic migraines or lasting injuries. It might be a life circumstance, like those caring for parents or children. It might be an economy that doesn’t need the skills a person has, no matter what they are willing to do. When Jesus sees people hungry, he feeds them. There were no qualifying questions before Jesus fed the crowds of thousands. There was no interrogation before he healed people. Jesus took care of them when they could not care for themselves.

One of the particular gifts that God has given Zion is the gift of hospitality and feeding. We feed people spiritually on Sunday, with word and sacrament. We feed people through Wednesday night meals, fellowship after worship, Snack Packs, donations to Mission Lexington, and Thanksgiving meals. We feed those who work—and we expect them to feed others. We also feed those who can’t work. Both are holy things. Both are reasons to be proud of the ways God is at work here, as Zion glorifies God, grows in faith, and serves others.