Idleness and Busybodies in a Modern World
Thinking through 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
When you read Paul’s warning about idleness in 2 Thessalonians 3:6, it is quite alarming: “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” It’s the kind of warning that should cause all of us to sit up and examine ourselves. Where might there be the sin of idleness in our lives? How might we be tempted to be idle? Where does our culture promote idleness? And I think we have to conclude that the answer to the last question is complicated. First, there is the reality of constant distraction and entertainment, despair, inhibition, and (sometimes) a failure to launch that has led some people to avoid the calling to “work heartily for the Lord” with excellence (Colossians 3:23). Second, and on the other hand, there is a danger of what Josef Pieper calls “Total Work,” the idea of allowing labor to take over all of one’s life so that there is no room for rest or leisure, no room to allow that God is sovereign over things and that it is good and proper to delight in creation. This looks like company emails that creep later and later into the evenings and weekends, and expectations that you are always available. Third, there is also the danger of what Paul describes as “busybodies,” those who are busy with things outside of what is good, fruitful, proper, and conducive to the good of their neighbor. In a distracted and technological society, this often looks like addictions to social media. Modern busybodies are constantly scrolling and commenting and watching short-form videos. All three of these tendencies affect our modern culture in destructive ways. At root is a failure to understand our proper dependency upon God for every good gift, the goodness of work before God, and our creation for good works.
