Let no one be idle.
What is idleness? It is not merely not doing anything – for example, we can be still and be quiet before God. That is not idle time. On the other hand we can be too busy with activities and yet actually we are idle. Paul calls this as being “busybodies”. With a car analogy, being idle means going nowhere. The engine may be running, but the car is going nowhere.
In my life so far I have had (still have?) a lot of idle time. I’m ashamed to admit it – maybe that’s why it took me a while to write this post.
In proper context – the early church shared everything, but some people would take advantage of this and leech off the church. Don’t be a burden to your brothers and sisters in Christ.
How to deal with idle people? The Bible says to keep away and have nothing to do with them. But not to regard them as enemies, but warn them as a brother. Why is that so? Maybe because idleness is highly contagious. It can also cause us to be demotivated and discouraged. “If he’s not putting in the work, but still getting the same amount, then what’s the point of all my trouble?”
How will the brother change? Not by your words, but by the conviction of the Holy Spirit.