Hard Work

…in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. 2 Thessalonians 3:8-9

What is hard work? Should we work hard? Do we want to work hard? Parents will probably give the same reasons, like: “You will get into a better college or get a better job if you work hard.” They may even say, “It’s the right thing to do.” Teachers might say, “You’ll get better grades and learn more if you work hard.”

And what would your friends say? Would they tell you that it didn’t matter what all the adults said? And that it’s better to hardly work than to work hard? Work is not fun!

In Thessalonians, the writer tells why the disciples worked hard… to set an example. To do it not just talk about it! The next time you are working hard, you will know what the adults around you think. But will you know what your friends really think? Probably not! It’s easier to talk about the last football game or the next dance. Know that what you do can make a difference to those around you. You may never be told by a friend that your example was more important than everything else that was said. So just do it!

Mary Farah Dickhut