⁷For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, ⁸nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you …

Again, Paul puts forward modeling as a primary teaching tool for Christian behavior. He later taught Timothy and Titus to follow his example in this: “show yourself an example of those who believe” (1 Tim. 4:12) and “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds” (Titus 2:7). It is one thing to teach the truth, but it is another to demonstrate the truth. This demonstration was not simply “put on” as a show for teaching; it was an invitation to see the reality of a life well lived for Christ.

This does not contradict what Jesus warned about doing religious deeds for show (see Matt. 6:4–6), but instead lines up with His prior teaching, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5:16). The key is the motive, so for Paul to be an example, he must be living for the glory of God and not for personal fame like the Pharisees.

So Paul’s teaching is consistent with his practice and thus avoids any accusation of hypocrisy. His life gives traction to his command to “keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life” (2 Thess. 3:6). Paul’s example was anything but unruly. He was a disciplined, hard worker, not a freeloader or lazy. He pulled his own load. He did not need to convince the Thessalonians, but reminded them of the example. By trade, Paul was a tent-maker (see Acts 18:3, where the record shows he engaged in that occupation while in Corinth). One can imagine the apostle working on a tent, beginning to picture our physical lives as living in an “earthly tent” (2 Cor. 5:1–4). Hard work provided a seedbed for illustrating spiritual truth!

Paul was what we might call bi-vocational. He worked hard to support himself financially and then spent considerable time preaching the gospel and teaching the new believers. The two overlapped. He did not “enter the ministry” as a profitable career choice; it was certainly not about the money. He reminded the Ephesian elders, “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs. . . .” (Acts 20:33–34). There were times when Paul received gifts from others, which would allow him to spend more time preaching and teaching, but his basic pattern was to “pull his own weight” and work hard in whatever he put his hand to.

Lord, I don’t want to be a freeloader but a hard worker. Help me in this, Lord.