Command the Busybody

Week 20 Day 6
1 Kings 4-5; 2 Chronicles 2; Psalm 101; 2 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.

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IDLE 
Original Word: ἀτάκτως
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: ataktós
Phonetic Spelling: (at-ak'-toce)
Short Definition: in a disorderly manner
Definition: in a disorderly manner, irregularly.

Cognate: 814 atáktōs – properly, disorderly ("breaking rank"); insubordinate to God's Word and hence fruitless (unproductive) – because lacking proper order (discipline). See 813 (ataktos).

BUSYBODY
Original Word: περιεργάζομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: periergazomai
Phonetic Spelling: (per-ee-er-gad'-zom-ahee)
Short Definition: I overdo, am a busybody
Definition: I overdo, am a busybody, waste my labor about (a thing).

4020 periergázomai (from 4012 /perí, "all-around" and 2038 /ergázomai, "to work") – properly, work all-around, i.e. to meddle, going beyond proper boundaries (where a person doesn't belong); to fixate on what others are doing, instead of doing what the person himself is supposed to do (used only in 2 thes 3:11).

This verse is talking about people who are pretending to be busy but really aren't doing what they are supposed to do in their lives; they are meddling and "going beyond proper boundaries" instead of doing what he's supposed to do.

The encouragement is to COMMAND and URGE to settle down and earn what they consume because this is the right thing to do.  As believers, we ought not to be IDLE (or aka, a busybody - not doing what we're supposed to do) but rather, to WORK and DO WHAT IS RIGHT (and never tire of doing so.)

What is right is to be doing what we ought to do -- not lazy or idle or busybody.  Assess our daily activities and see which one isn't productive in our lives; prune it out and do only what is important.

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I admit that I sometimes become a busybody - not exactly doing what is most important at times.  I will continually assess my time and where my efforts are going; that they will only be towards what's most important - what I really need to do.  And when I am acting lazy or idle (or a busybody), I must immediately snap out of it and not cater to it.  Daily assessment is what I will do.

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Lord, thank you for reminding me.  I know this may be a small thing but being a busybody could be very time consuming and wasting precious moments with what's most important.  I pray that you guide me to be a good soldier; to be subject to the strict disciplines of a Christian soldier - not allowing anything to cause me to not fulfill my duties towards You by being the best that I can be.  I know you will empower me.  Please give me the right mindset to always be productive in my life.  In Jesus' name, amen.