II Thessalonians 3:11 says “For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.”
Yeah, I’ve heard the same thing. There’s someone, walking about, bringing disorder wherever she goes, not working in her own home, not working outside her own home, but determined to insert herself into everyone else’s homes.
The verse right before it, II Thessalonians 3:10, says “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.”
So she’s not working. We’ve established that one. But she’s eating–voraciously. Not physically–it’s not like she’s going over to people’s houses and insisting that they feed her dinner. No, she’s eating emotionally and spiritually–going over to people’s houses or calling them on the phone and slurping up every spare ounce of emotional and spiritual energy they have.
And then she vomits and sucks some more.
II Thessalonians 3:12 says “Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.”
I wish I knew that I could apply this verse to that situation. I wish I could be certain that I could just tell her to go home, find a job (or even just start taking care of your children!), and learn to be emotionally and spiritually self-sufficient.
II Thessalonians 3:13 says, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.”
I’m definitely not doing very well on this one. Of course, it’d help if I knew whether continuing to try in this relationship were indeed GOOD. It feels a lot more like casting pearls before swine.
Can’t I just do as II Thessalonians 3:14 says?
“And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed.”
I mean, I could handle a good long vacation from her. I could use a bit of time without her company. In fact, I can think of a half a dozen women who’ve already been sucked dry and could really benefit from some time away from her spiritual bulimia.
The hard part is II Thessalonians 3:15, “Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
She is a sister–a fellow believer in Christ. But it’s very hard to think of her as a sister when she’s acting like a leach. My little antibodies are bristling–wanting so hard to attack her–she’s destroying the body. Except that she is a part of the body. How can that be?
I don’t know how to deal. I don’t know what to say.
I doubt you know either.
But, please, please pray. For me. For the many women who’ve been emotional exhausted by this woman. For the woman. Pray for wisdom. For humility. For grace. Pray that she’d stop–oh, I don’t even know what to ask in regard to her. I guess, just groan for me, for us, please.
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26