You Can’t Work If You Don’t Eat

II Timothy 2:6-7

It seems ridiculous that schools would need to provide breakfast for students. Unfortunately, so many parents have neglected the responsibility that the schools have taken on the burden. They found that children who didn’t eat breakfast didn’t learn as much as those who were not hungry. Part of the problem was being distracted by their hunger, and part of it turned out to be a lack of nourishment caused reduced mental acuity.

Often companies provide a donuts or other food before work or at a mid morning break because employees who are hungry are less efficient and alert. In physically demanding jobs, they may even collapse from exhaustion.

Just as food is required for physical and mental activity, Spiritual food is essential for spiritual activity. A pastor or teacher must first have their own spiritual needs met. A pastor or teacher who does not take in spiritually will soon have nothing to offer, just as a cup of water which is not replenished will run dry. This is one aspect of what Paul states.

“The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.” (II Timothy 2:6)

The second aspect of Paul’s statement is that one can only give what one has. Just as a cup of water can never give oil, a teacher can never give what they haven’t learned. That is just common sense, but we regularly see unprepared people placed in a position of trying to teach what they don’t know. The results are terrible.

A pastor who has not learned to walk in the spirit can never teach others to do so. An unsaved man can never teach others how to be saved. This does not imply that an unsaved person cannot quote a verse or passage that the Holy Spirit can use to cause someone to get saved, but the unsaved person cannot teach him because he doesn‘t know himself. A person who doesn’t know the subject may present facts, but have no understanding of the relevance of those facts. The hearer must learn to use the facts elsewhere.

“Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.” (II Timothy 2:7)

Before a person enters the ministry, he needs to consider the points Paul has made. First he must understand what the job entails, and who he is working for. If he doesn’t understand this, he will never be able to perform satisfactorily.

Secondly he must be willing to set aside other things to do the job. There is nothing more frustrating than hiring some one to help you and having them spend all their time on the phone or doing something else instead of working.

Thirdly, he must be willing to do the job properly. He is expected to minister the way God described, not the way he wants to. A person who refuses to follow instructions is unsatisfactory as an employee.

Finally the person must be willing to learn and expand his knowledge to be effective in the ministry. Employees who are unwilling to attain the minimum standard or those who refuse to learn additional material are of limited value, and their knowledge soon becomes obsolete.