“For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:9).
1 Thessalonians 2:9 provides us with some valuable insight into Paul the Apostle’s attitude towards work and ministry. In fact, one of the best endorsements of Paul’s God-honoring character is reflected in his decision to provide for himself as he worked to nurture the young Christian community at Thessalonica,
Although Paul is widely recognized as a teacher and evangelist, he was also a tentmaker by trade. The Biblical book of Acts tells us that Paul occasionally called upon those skills to provide for his material needs and support his ministry efforts (see Acts 18:1-3). Judging from the passage quoted above, it appears that Paul employed those professional talents in Thessalonica as well.
Since Thessalonica featured a good harbor that made it ideal for sea-faring travel, the skills of a tentmaker were undoubtedly in high demand by those who operated wind-powered sailing ships. Those ships could benefit from the services of someone who could apply a tentmaker’s skills to mend or repair damaged sails. Thus, it should not come as a surprise to learn that Paul had ample opportunity to work “…night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God…” (NIV).
While Paul unquestionably would have preferred to devote himself to full-time ministry among the citizens of Thessalonica, this approach offered certain advantages. For instance, Paul’s self-supporting lifestyle enabled him to minister without fear that he might somehow lose his support base. It also set a good example for others to follow. Paul illustrated the importance of leading by example in this area in an address to the leaders of the church at Ephesus…
“You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive'” (Acts 20:34-35 NIV).
By taking this approach, Paul demonstrated his willingness to put in the work that was necessary to fulfill God’s call on his life. If others were inclined to support him (like the church at Philippi, for example), then so much the better. But if not, he was willing to endure “…labor and hardship—working night and day, so as not to burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the Good News of God” (TLV).