Proverbs 10:4
Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.
If I had something about being a Pastor I dislike it's probably having to deal with people wanting a hand-out from the church. These folks call with their rehearsed story and then act like I am obligated to help them. I am all for helping the poor and needy and the church helping those in need and glad to do it when the need is real, but the problem is our definition of poor and needy. Some folks are poor because of their own choices, selfishness, or unwillingness to work. They want to live off of the government or others hard work. Some folks are needy and others are just "wanty", meaning they just want to call around and go around and get hand-outs from churches or other places to pay their rent, utilities, buy gas for their car, give them food, and other items and they take away from those who are actually in need.
Sometimes we as Christians and churches create this type of mooching and freeloading because we think it's our job to help others and have pity and though I agree God wants us to help others, He also expect us all to help ourselves, to work, to plan, to provide, and not just look for handouts or ways to get out of work or get something for free. God also wants the church to help those who help themselves and those who are in need like widows or orphans or in distress, not those who are chronically looking for a hand-out or those who can work or provide for themselves, but don't because their job is going around getting hand-outs. We have to be careful we as Christians/churches that we are not enabling or being a willing partner to those who want to take advantage of others or want free handouts and freeload and mooch off of the kindness and generosity of others.
I think as Christians we have to use discernment and Godly wisdom to determine who to help and who not to help. Now, ultimately God will deal with those who purposely take advantage of others and freeload and mooch off of Him and His church or children, but we still must make an effort to help those who truly need it and not just be a willing party to someone's con to get out of work or get something for free. We are a church, we are not a grocery store, a department store, an ATM, gas station, landlord, or utility company. We are the body of Christ and we must use God's resources wisely. We help those with legitimate needs and those who are sincere, honest, and also not expecting it.
People are also this way with God. Churches are full of people who come in and sit on pews in churches and give nothing to God, do not serve or volunteer in anyway, and then they expect God and the church to do everything for them, give them everything, and be at their beckon call, and this is what I call a spiritual mooch. They give God nothing and expect everything from Him.
Have you ever looked at it that way? Ever had a friend or relative come and stay with you and they stayed longer than they were supposed to and then they weren't appreciative or didn't offer to help or do anything? Ate all your food and didn't clean up after themselves or anything? That is how we can be with God? We want him to take care of us without us having to lift a finger and then we can't even appreciate what He does for us. We must be careful that we don't mooch off of God, but we all do our part in the body of Christ, we serve and give, and we help ourselves.
I think this attitude in America we have of not wanting to work for what we have and expect others to take care of us is a big problem and it's not what God wants. I think Paul describes it best in 2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 when we warns that church about being idle/lazy. He gave an example when they came to visit they to pay for your own way if you can, to not be lazy and work and not be a burden to others and reminds us if you don't work, you don't eat. Let us follow this example by not being a burden to God or the church and not allow others to be a burden. We honor Christ by helping ourselves and helping others who truly have need and not just helping those who want to freeload or mooch off of others.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-10
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
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