Twice As Idle

And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. 1 Timothy 5:13

Yesterday's message was shortened because this subject can easily go on and on with an energy the idle person does not display. And thus we have part two on the subject of idleness. 

In the passage of this letter from Paul to Timothy, young widows are the subject but they should not be the only group included in the warning. From my own experience, I can tell you that old men can be idle and gossipy too. One group that would have fallen under Paul's eye in that time were those men who showed up to a 1st century version of a labor market each day. Some days there likely was not enough labor need in the community and those men might sit around all day waiting, and doing all that waiting together in a group might bring such as gossip and that busybody thing. If this happened too many times, some of the men might find the desire toward idleness creeping up on them until one day a farmer comes and no one wants to work. 

While I cannot speak for all men, work has proven better for me than idleness. The Bible agrees with me, and the Word of God certainly can speak for all men regarding what is better or worse for us. Idleness should be a skill we remain ignorant of, not to be confused with resting of course, which is a need. 

Rejoice in the Lord always,
Bucky