By God's own design, labor is an area for all to be involved in, and is most beneficial to man. Even in the paradise of the Garden, God provided labor for man, giving him the job of dressing and keeping it (Genesis 2d:15). Summing up man's responding to God, Paul said he was "... laboring, working with his hands the thing which is good" (Ephesians 4:28). Man was not made for idleness, and that very thing - idleness - brought some in Thessalonica to the point where the congregation was going to have to discipline them (II Thessalonians 3). The blessing, then, of honest and continued labor! That same principle applies, of course, in the kingdom. Time in the kingdom must be a time of labor, so that the promised rest is needed (Revelation 14:13). Let us mention an application or two in this regard, and notice the remedy when it comes to some ills. That remedy is, simply GET TO WORK! We mention these:
1. Those with very little concept of the work of the congregation, and having very little interest in her functions, and thus put forth very little effort, can correct all of these things by repentance, becoming faithful and active - GET TO WORK! Tell the elders that you want something to do - clean the building, teach a class - to work in some area.
2. Those who find time only to make criticism of the church, its leaders, its program of work, its preachers, etc., should simply repent and get themselves involved. GET TO WORK, and then there will be very little time to engage in idle gossip and giving way to disgruntled feelings. Idleness carries some busy bodying (II Thessalonians 3:11)
3. Those who spend their time on themselves, thinking about themselves, and feeling sorry for themselves - those whose whole world revolves around "me, myself and I" - should pitch in and help in the Lord's work. GET TO WORK, and when one does that, he/she loses themselves in the work of the kingdom, gets away from his/her selfishness and thinks of others.
- Selected By the Elders