January 22, 2026; 2 Thessalonians 3

Daily Dose of Hope

January 22, 2026

 

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3

 

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, We rejoice in you.  We praise your name.  You are the Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, and is, and is to come.  We cannot possibly express our gratitude in words.  You have offered us mercy but you have also given us freedom.  Thank you for that.  Help us live like free people.  Help us demonstrate your love and grace to others who cross our path.  Help us see people through your eyes.  We love you, Lord.  Amen.

 

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We have been working our way through the apostle Paul’s letters to his churches.  Today, we are finishing up with our third pastoral letter, 2 Thessalonians.

 

Our reading today was 2 Thessalonians chapter 3.  In this chapter, Paul admonishes a group in the church who are causing disruption by refusing to work. We don't know the details of the circumstances. It's possible that this group believed Jesus' second coming was imminent, so there was no need to work and earn a living. It could also be that this group found menial labor beneath them and wanted nothing to do with it. Finally, it could be a group of individuals who had grown accustomed, possibly even entitled, to the church's generosity and did not want to have to work in return. But Paul is clear: he worked and they would work too.  Whatever their motivations, this group was disruptive and creating problems within the church. They would not be allowed to take advantage of the church's generosity.

 

As Christ-followers, we have clear commands from Jesus to care for the least of these. Jesus fed the hungry and cared for those who had little. The early church was obviously following the example of Christ and offering food to those who asked for it. But at some point, giving can lead to entitlement.  Paul was certainly alluding to that.  Many of you know my background involves extensive work with homeless families and people in crisis. I've struggled with these issues for years, but this is basically where I've landed; we are called to care for the needy but we never want to harm others by destroying initiative or creating dependency. Historically, church outreach programs have engaged in one-directional giving, things like food giveaways, clothes closets, and soup kitchens. While there is a place for such ministry, it must be limited and targeted. Relief must be limited to times of crisis. But after the crisis is over, the kind of help needs to change.  To see meaningful change, we must address root causes, building real relationships and working with ministries that empower people to make hard but necessary long-term transformation.

 

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki