October 4, 2026
— Annie Taylor · Source: Gospel Fellowship Association
2 Thessalonians 3:8-9 Nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.
Paul had the right to receive support from the church, yet he willingly laid it aside, working hard day and night so as not to be a burden to anyone, and setting an example for the believers. Eighteen hundred years later, Annie Taylor kept a small shop on the Tibetan border in Yatung, trading fairly with the Tibetans. She did not consider this a hardship, but rather a way to follow Paul and serve the Lord. It turns out that the gospel is proclaimed not only from the pulpit, but also behind the counter, in honest business and diligent labor. Today, does my work burden others, or does it cause them to see Christ?
Loving Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me through the examples of Paul and Annie Taylor that ordinary labor can also become an offering to You. Please forgive me for often viewing work as a burden or doing it solely for my own benefit. Grant me an honest heart and diligent hands, that in my work I may not be a burden to others, but instead become a blessing to my colleagues, family, and neighbors. May people see Your faithfulness and grace in the way I work, and thereby be willing to listen to me share the gospel. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.