Welfare Queen - 2 Thessalonians 3:7-18

3:7-12 - Even though the saints in Thessalonica are supposed to excommunicate those who are “disorderly”, the counsel is that these people are still to be loved and treated with kindness. Paul cites himself and his companions as examples saying that when they were in Thessalonica “we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you… For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” Paul goes on to say that he’s heard that some of the saints there were acting “disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.” These few verses prompt a whole litany of condemnations in the IM and in the article on this chapter from gospeldoctrine.com about the evils of being dependent on welfare and being lazy. And while I’m sure that they didn’t mean this specifically, I can’t help but only hear in Ronald Reagan’s voice the pearl clutching cry of “welfare queen!” I have a very dysfunctional relationship with work. We were very poor growing up and I’ve worked since I was 11 to buy food and clothes. I’ve always had a job and have always worked more than I should have. My dad doesn’t work and hasn’t since he was in the Marines in Vietnam in 1968. By that logic you might assume that I believe that ALL people should work and that ALL people should work as much as possible, sort of a “if I had to do it, so should you,” kind of mentality. But let me tell you this, if at any point in my life I could have worked less and enjoyed life more, I would have loved to do that. Spend more time with my kids? Yes, please. Chill out for a bit? If only. Wikipedia defines “welfare queen” as “a derogatory term used in the United States to refer to women who allegedly misuse or collect excessive welfare payments through fraud, child endangerment, or manipulation… The phrase ‘welfare queen’ has remained a stigmatized label and is most often directed toward block, single mothers. Ergo, it is considered racist by many.” I understand the need for work, I understand that it’s a universal and purifying principle but I also understand the need for people to be compassionate to others. What makes me absolutely furious with the term “welfare queen” and the general idea that people are just lazy and want everything for free off the backs of the “hardworking Americans” is that it is almost always just to describe a certain “type” of person. Or rather, it’s used to describe a certain group of people who do not have a particular skin color. In other words, this is almost always a sentiment help by white people to describe people of color. And what these judgmental people fail or refuse to realize is that we have a society with strictly held systemic racism that makes jobs and education harder for people of color to get, steep living expenses that negate any work because you just can’t work enough hours to pay rent when it’s too high. I know that Paul probably wasn’t talking about this issue when he wrote these verses extolling the virtues of hard work and self-sufficiency, but I have heard sentiment like this used time and time again throughout Church programs and culture that I know it causes a dividing idea there are those “saints” who work hard and the “others” who are lazy and take what we worked hard for. And when we are a predominantly white church in the US already and often viewed as a racist organization, espousing the view that people on welfare are lazy or have attitude problems and then linking that view to predominately people of color, then we are not only wrong, but we aren’t doing anyone any favors, including ourselves. 3:13 - Even with all the work that we have to do to maintain this life, Paul counsels them and us to “be not weary in well doing.” I think about what this could mean that honestly, it does sometimes seem like being a good person or trying to keep the commandments is an uphill, exhausting battle. It usually doesn’t change the course of history, nor does it make a large-scale difference. And it’s hard to do your best to do the right thing then watch as sin and corruption and greed wins out over and over and over again. It’s very demoralizing. But the word Paul used, “weary” is cross-referenced with Galatians 6:9 which says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Just keep on keeping on and look to the eternal perspective, that everything we do will be for our good, and all the corruption and horror that we encounter in this life will be avenged in the perfect way, because God will be the administrator of it. 3:14-18 – Even if the saints have to hand out discipline to their congregation, and that might be exhausting and overwhelming at times, Paul continues that those who “obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him.” Those who don’t want to abide by the commandments of the church, need to be disciplined. But again, this is a very sensitive topic, because we are talking about people’s eternal salvation here. This is solely the responsibility of the Church leadership and to be approached with much thought and prayer because of the magnitude of the consequences that come with excommunication or any kind of church discipline. This is where we find that part I was looking for yesterday that says that those who are subject to church discipline, “yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” If we all consider that every single one of us has had cause to repent in our lifetimes, and if we consider that excommunication is the first step in the repentance process for those affected, then we shouldn’t have any problem being kind and helpful and non-judgmental to those are subject to it. If they are shunned or judged and don’t come back to church because of that, then who’s fault is it really? Paul blesses the people “the Lord of peace himself give you peace always be all means. The Lord be with you all,” and signed the letter with his “own hand,” and closes it. Just a short little letter addressing a few issues that are troubling the Church in Thessalonica.