In recent times, there is what I have come to describe as the oppression of benefactors by their beneficiaries. The simple truth is that, most beneficiaries don’t know how to apply the break and stop asking from those who have been magnanimous to them. A pastor recalled the story of a woman who showed up in church one Sunday with children and complained of being homeless. The church rallied round, gave her $400 and some groceries. They recommended that she move to a shelter where homeless people can have some temporary relief at government’s expense. No one knew precisely how much of that counsel she imbibed, but when she showed up another Sunday,  she said she had run out of money. My first impression was that not many people who are working can afford to spend $400 a week in America. The woman had seen the liberality of the church and probably wanted to exploit it.

…idleness is disorderliness…Unbridled requests for support can lead to compassion fatigue for the benefactors and a loss of dignity for the beneficiaries.

In 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Apostle Paul advised the brethren to distance themselves from those who walk disorderly. A few verses later, he brought out the context of that warning. In verse 11 specifically, he noted that some were among the saints who “walk disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.” For the Apostle, idleness is disorderliness. If this definition holds today, then it is sad to say that we have so many disorderly people in our churches today. Unbridled requests for support can lead to compassion fatigue for the benefactors and a loss of dignity for the beneficiaries.