”For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.“
2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 KJV
Paul teaches the Thessalonian church, “For you know very well that you should order your lives after our example, because we were not undisciplined when we were with you. We didn’t sponge off of you, but we worked hard night and day to provide our own food and lodging and not be a burden to any of you. It wasn’t because we don’t have the right to be supported, but we wanted to provide you an example to follow.“ Those who preach the Gospel have the right to be supported financially and deserve their wages. However, Paul’s custom was to earn his own way when he went into the city for the first time to show the truth of the Gospel without mixed motives. In Thessalonica, there were believers who were lazy and not working for a living. Paul gave up his right to have financial support from them and chose to work hard to be an example to them. Let’s learn to be obligated to no one but the power of the Holy Spirit, to spread the Gospel everywhere. Amen!
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