When I hear this warning of idleness in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, I can see it being taken in a couple different directions. The first is that, historically, it has been used to abuse people living in poverty. The author of this letter tells people “to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” This often leads to people being told to “just get a job and stop freeloading.” Verse 10 in the NRSV says “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.” Anyone unwilling to work. Not anyone who is unable to work.

This past Sunday I spoke about the candles we lit for All Saints Day and how these candles show that our loved ones who passed are still alive to God. And because we are also alive, we have a flame inside of us.

In reading a book* for class, I recently learned about something common in the African-American tradition: porch sits. In the evenings people would gather around on someone’s porch, and everyone was free to discuss hard topics and complain about their life. The amazing thing about these porch sits was that everyone was welcome.