HARD WORK

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Paul Remembers His Visit

7 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8 We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

9 Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. 10 You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. 11 And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 12 We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.


Have you heard the light-hearted comments about the great job the preacher has? He only has to work one day a week. That was not the Apostle Paul’s experience or example. Paul compared the work of ministry to parenting and I think we would all agree that there is nothing easy about being a good parent.

Paul was a preacher who worked to earn a living while he preached the Gospel. In today’s society we have labeled this being bi-vocational. Praise God for all His ministers who fulfill their call to ministry, “…remember … how hard we worked among you…”, while working jobs, earning a living, providing for their families without putting undue burden on the church. Pray for them as the keep on pleading, encouraging, urging for the Kingdom.

Pray for and support your pastors, whether they be full time or bi-vocational.