They are watching us ( John 13 v12 ff)

The early church's had their problems,and so letters sent by the apostles would deal  with these things, one example is the two letters sent to the church in Thessalonica,by  the apostle Paul deals with a number of issues, I will mention three .(1) Those who  refused to work (2 v 6ff) (2 ) False teachers. (2 v2 -4)  (3) Persecutions ( 1 v4)Lets consider the first one,those refusing  to work ( 2  These  3 v 6ff),the believers are told to stay away from them,he uses the term ,'These Loafers',Paul is not writing of those who can't work but those who do not want to work,who as one commentator says,'they  were temperamentally lazy and sponging on the generous members of the church,and others that they had imbibed the Greek disdain for manual labour' There were others who had stopped working because of the belief in the imminence of the Lord's return.'Paul had told them in his first letter to return to work but they did not heed his words.Paul  speaks of such people as being disruptive,he reminds them of what he had told them, that those refusing to work should not receive any food.But then he reminds them how when he and his companions were with them, they worked day and night,so as not to be a burden to anyone,and would not eat anybodies food with paying them for it.'Paul and his friends  practiced what they preached,by their example. Our dear Saviour did the same thing when He washed the disciples feet ( John 13 v2 ff) I remember  somene saying  as to the unbelievers  ,'They are watching us',we may not realise that people are watching us.our children are,,our neighbours are ,and so on.

                                                     'Let us lead by example'