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10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
I think this needs to be expanded. Since they are quoting Bible verses...
2 Thess. 3:10-12 - For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.
@ScoopSeeker... I suggest making this an issue between you and God. Communicate with Him, seek His face on how to handle the situation. Ultimately you want to follow God's lead on this. It may take a little time, but get quiet before Him, because this is a spiritual matter - so all distractions need to be gone, and focus on Him. Talk some. Wait for Him to speak. When you get an answer, deal with your family in confidence knowing that God has your back
I have 2 sons in their 20's that are both schizophrenic, inherited from their mother's family. I hadn't heard too much from my oldest for a couple of months, but then heard that he had lost his job and was living in his car. Even though our household then held 5 of us, my wife, myself, and 3 children, I told him to come over and we'd help get him on his feet. He moved in and slept on the couch. We fed him, paid the necessary amounts to get him enrolled in college, (he's an A student), and showed him how to get financial aid. We fixed his car many times paying out hundreds. While he was with us, his younger brother had a schizophrenic episode, we also had him move in with us. The younger son acted in a bizarre way and was arrested, and put in psychiatric care mandated by the state, yet we still have him at our home. With the many programs to help, his 'head' is back on straight, and he's doing much better, and we have arranged to get him help in finding employment that will monitor him, and he will soon be moving out on his own. His older brother is not the same. He turned his schizophrenia into an excuse to drink and not work, and my wife and I got to the point that he was just plain taking advantage of us and expecting us to do everything for him, although he knows we will not support his bad habits. We finally set him up in a place that would deal with his alcoholism and mental issues and also make sure that he works during the day. So, one week after he went there, he left the place and decided that living in his car and being homeless is what he wants.
My sons are both of age, and both capable of caring and providing for themselves, yet my oldest son decided that he wants to be the prodigal son and do what he wants. God is in control. We realized that we were only enabling him, so we helped him by placing him in a program. He refused it. As the prodigal son did, so will my son have to come to his senses and find himself.
Don't let anyone bully you into thinking that you "owe" family that won't help themselves. They have to take responsibility for their own lives. It's ok to lift them out of the gutter and get them going again, but they have to pick up the ball and go on their own unless there is some deficiency in their lives. And even then, it is a very hard thing for an individual or single family to fully support such things. There are many programs out there to help people, and that's the good part about welfare, as long as they get going on their own if they can.
The Timothy verses do pertain to widows and those that cannot provide for themselves. That's a different issue from yours. And also, those of your own household need provision and care until they mature. After that, they need to provide for themselves. Like I said, there may be extenuating circumstances, but once those circumstances are eradicated, it's time to move on.
Thank you all for your responses. They have been very helpful. The family members that I speak of are not destitute. Their financial problems are a result of living above their means. They have enough income, but they are chosing to spend it on their wants not their needs. Like I said, I'm the youngest in the family, but I haven't felt like it for a very, very long time.
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