In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23
Peter Lord said, "You DO what you actually believe, all the rest is merely religious talk. This is a quote that I've read and remembered for years, because it keeps me away from the foolish practice of being all about the talk, but very little about actions that support what I say. This proverb is not trying to get us to stop talking or speaking about the things of God. What it is trying to do is to help us see that it is foolish to talk big, but act small. Too often Christians have said very big things about how they would minister, or what needs to be done in our world - but they have not acted on their own passion to see things changed. The Lord wants us to say things that are Scriptural - especially when those things radically impact our world with the gospel. But when we DO nothing to see them come to pass, this is the height of arrogance and presumption. There is profit in labor - in working hard to see something done, something made, something come to pass. But we need to be very careful that we are actually DOING something. You can have amazing and incredible ideas in the business world - but eventually someone is going to have to put effort and time into see those wonderful ideas turn into actual products and services. The business world is replete with men who dreamed big, but produced little. The ones that blessed generations were those who took their talk and turned it into work and finished things. We are warned that mere talk leads to poverty. Just talking about things will get you no where. But some talk - and then they talk in bigger groups - then they hold summits on getting huge groups to talk. But in the end they will all wind up in poverty - either in real goods or in a poverty of spirit because their actions never translated into deeds and effort. There MUST BE WORK to succeed. No work equals no success. The wise man not only talks - but works. He takes the time to dream and to plan - but also is wise because he take the time spend talking and planning and puts it into a course of action which, when taken, will bless those who do so with very profitable outcomes. Talk, dream, plan - but be wise enough to put those plans into demonstrable action.
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A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence.
Proverbs 12:27 One of the most precious things you can ever develop in your life is diligence. I remember reading a godly man a long time ago who said, "Many things go to the diligent man simply because he is dilgent about the things he does." There are large numbers of people who are very gifted, but who lack diligence. They will begin the race in the lead - but soon will be eclipsed by the less gifted who are simply more diligent about what they do in life. Here we are introduced to a lazy man. He is so lazy that even though he has either caught or killed prey that can serve as food, he refuses to roast it. As a result his meat will soon become rotten and useless. He is the picture of someone who has an ability (evidently here it is either hunting or trapping) but who will not do the work that is necessary to take his ability and make it something truly useful to others. Often we see that the more gifted someone is, the less they work hard to hone their gifts to serve others. In the end, their gift is used primarily only to serve themselves and their selfish appetites. Sadly fare too many gifted individuals have written over their lives the epitaph that they were gifted - but lacked the diligence and hard work to make their gift all it could be. The wise man knows that diligence is indeed a precious possession. The idea presented by a precious possession is that first it is rare and very valuable. Due to the fact that we are fallen, we are not prone to diligence on our own. Therefore it is either developed due to the influence of people who will help us be faithful and hard-working - or - it will be granted to us as God develops our character through the things He Himself teaches us. The word possession has the idea of wealth that is sufficient for our needs. It is enough for us. Diligence in that way is not the drive that some people have for riches that becomes an all-consuming passion that drives out all other things in their thinking. They eventually are destroyed - not by diligence - but by an all-consuming desire for more. Indeed their hard work is based more out of greed than wisdom. For this reason - the ability to be diligent means working hard, being faithful to tasks to see them done and done well - but not the foolishness of thinking that we are what we make or accomplish. If you have been blessed by having biblical diligence - you are rich! Your wealth will be seen in ways that go far beyond your bank account. Your wealth will be seen in the way that you work - the way that your work blesses others - and the way that even in hard, diligent work, you continue to glorify God. The hand of the diligent will rule, But the slack hand will be put to forced labor. Proverbs 12:24
Here is a proverb that shows the difference between the lazy man and the one who works hard and is diligent in his labor. Solomon begins with a look at the "diligent." This word referenced the hard-working farmer who plowed the ground and then planted his tilled soil. Such things in Solomon's day were much harder than what today's farmer does. It involved tilling the ground behind a team of oxen - or a mule. It required a person to keep working day after day until the ground was sufficiently broken up and ready for the seed to be planted. Hard working men and women will be rewarded. The passage here says that they will rule. This was the case in that day - and it still is in ours. One might argue with me on this because of the growing welfare state that seems to be winning the day in our nation. There are a growing number of people who do not work hard, but rather choose to live off the provision of the United States' government. They actually choose NOT to work - and begin collecting various government benefits that are made available to lazy people in our nation. What is happening slowly is that this group of people are gaining power and are learning how to vote themselves further benefits. This is a signal of a nation's downturn. They reward the lazy because they know that as long as they can keep them dumb and filled, they will be safe. But the problem is when a critical mass is reached in a society. That mass is when the ones who pay the taxes are outnumbered by those who demand benefits from the taxes collected. In time such a system will collapse because it encourages laziness rather than hard work. What will happen in time is that this system - under the weight of its own slothfulness - will fall. When that happens a new set of rulers will emerge. They will demand work - or they will not feed the begging masses. The slack hand (meaning the one that will not work) will be put to forced labor. Look at the socialist countries on the globe. They may have started as a welfare state - but when they have to convert to communism, they will take the lazy and force them to work. If they will not work - such countries let them starve and die. The way for a nation to prosper is to teach the value of hard work and self-reliance. One thing that is true even now is that the ones who choose hard work - will rule themselves. They may have to pay exorbitant taxes, but in the end, they can choose their leaders. The ones given to laziness and a slack hand - will have to have the socialist and the welfare state rule over them. They are not free. They are in bondage to whoever will give them what they clamor for - more of everything. But as we see again and again, they will not get what they clamor for in life. They will get what paltry sum their leaders give them - and nothing more. Truly to be hard working is to be free - to be lazy is to be a slave to others. Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy one to those who send him. Proverbs 10:26
It is ttruly irritating to have a lazy messenger or servant who should be taking care of something, but who is constantly late and ineffective in fulfilling their duties. That is what we learn about today in the proverb of the day. Two pictures are given to us from every day life. The first is the way that vinegar set our teeth on edge. The kind of vinegar spoken of here is wine vinegar that was very sour as well as being very strong in its effect on a person's teeth. This would result in the person who drank it being very annoyed and disgusted with its taste. The other picture is the effect of smoke upon someone's eyes. When smoke gets in our eyes it is very annoying as well. We blink and rub our eyes from the irritation that they experience from the smoke. These two pictures are now compared to a lazy person who does not do what they are supposed to do. To those who send the lazy person, there is great annoyance at their behavior as well as their inability to get the message to whom it should go - or get the work done that is assigned. Either way, there is great annoyance and disgust as they have to deal with another person's inability to do the job. Amasa in 2 Samuel was one of these people. David sent him out to gather the armies of Israel in a certain time period. But Amasa delayed and did not do the job in a timely manner. David soon sent Joab to finish this work - concerned that Amasa's lack of diligence would cost him his kingdom or at least prolong the rebellion that was at hand. Either way, Amasa's laziness was causing David great annoyance. In the end, it also cost Amasa his life - for when Joab caught up with him later - he killed him. If you have been given a task - wisdom is to be diligent in performing the task and doing it well. Make your authorities glad that they chose to work with you. Make them grateful to have someone who is not lazy and undisciplined in their work. To do otherwise is just to annoy them and possibly injure yourself with consequences for your laziness. Be diligent, work hard, and do not be an annoyance to those who send you. Laziness casts into a deep sleep, And an idle man will suffer hunger. Proverbs 19:15
Laziness will come to haunt a man. The effects of laziness are not immediately apparent - but in time they will show themselves. The word "laziness" here is the Hebrew word 'atslah' and it means to be sluggish, indolent, and lazy and describes someone who is in a state and attitude of doing nothing. Since the word idolent is not used much any more it might help to know that it means to be averse to activity, effort, or movement. The "deep sleep" into which one is cast due to laziness is the same word that was used when God put Adam into a deep sleep to create Eve from a rib He took from Adam's side. This word is used figuratively here to speak of a moral and spiritual stupor which is how Isaiah uses it in Isaiah 29:10, "For the LORD has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep, He has shut your eyes, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, the seers." In Isaiah the idea is that the deep sleep was spiritual and resulted in the people being completely blind to spiritual realities and the warnings they needed to heed to prevent disaster in their lives. The second half of this passage presents an interesting thing to us. The Hebrew speaks not just of a sure consequence of laziness, but of a hunger that must come upon the lazy person to that they will eventually work. The idle man will or must suffer hunger. That is the idea here. He won't get up and work and will continue in his aversion to activity and action - until hunger strikes and makes him get up and work. This is Scriptural for the New Testamant tells us plainly, "If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat either." (2 Thessalonians 3:10) God's Word is not a great friend to a welfare state. The Scriptures tell us to work - and to do what we do with all our might. Work existed before the Fall of man - and it has always has been a good thing to have a godly work ethic. We are told to help the poor - but we are not counselled to put them in a state of continual dependency. This mistake will result in them becoming lazy in the end - and thinking that the state owes them a living. I realize that such words are very incindiary in our world - and I do not use them toward those who have genuine disabilities that prevent them from working. But the wise man knows that a laziness that is encouraged is one that will not only cause hunger - but it will blind the person to spiritual truth as well. We would do well not to encourage it in our children - or our nation. Do not love sleep, or you will become poor; Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with food. Proverbs 20:13
There are several ways that the Bible refers to laziness. Some are very pointed like when God speaks of the sluggard or the lazy man. This one however speaks of someone who loves their sleep - too much. As a result of this love of sleeping - they wind up lazy, poor, and possibly hungry. Do not love sleep. That is the command that is given here. It is not a sin to sleep - God even promises in the psalms that He will give sleep to His beloved. There is a difference between enjoying a good night's sleep and just loving to sleep whenever we can. One is necessary while the other is a sure sign of laziness. You cannot love sleep and love God at the same time. Two different times the concept of oversleeping or loving sleep is used to rebuke the laziness of the sluggard. Proverbs 6:9 tells the sluggard to get up from his sleep. Proverbs 6:10 and 24:33 both say that a little sleep, slumber, and excess rest and poverty and problems will come in like a robber and an armed man. Loving to sleep is a dangerous thing to embrace. God desires for us to be good, motivated workers. When we do not embrace work - we will most likely embrace sleeping and laziness. The other warning here is that when we become lazy - we will also be in danger of becoming poor - even the point of not having food to eat. Poverty is often the reward for the lazy - as is hunger. That is why a welfare system that does not require work of some kind for the benefits received is a blight on the work ethic of any country. If there are benefits - they must be tied to some kind of work. When we do not do this we are promising a lifestyle to those who receive it that does not require them to work. They can love their sleep - and be paid for it. They can be idle - and still receive money and benefits. This will build an entire class of society that will begin to expect something for nothing. That will be devastating to that societies ability to produce things and profit from them. It will also be a tremendous drain on the character of the society as well. God's answer to this is the call us to wake up and work. He calls us to wake up and work hard. He wants us to labor with our hands - not just to provide for the needs of our families and ourselves - but Scripture also says that our hard work is to be so that we can also have something to share with the ones who are in need. But the Word also states that in the times when we have abundance - it is to help meet the needs of others - but it also says there will be other times when the abundance of others will be given to provide for our needs. God's point here is that hard work is not an option - but a necessity for a society. Without it we will become lazy and undisciplined. Without hard work we will lack character and will most likely get in trouble with the abundance of free time we have. Why be poor and hungry - both physically and spiritually? Wake up - and work hard for your food, for your health, and for your character. He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense. Proverbs 12:11
I find it interesting that one of the phrases that I hear often is, "Don't work too hard." There are some out there who do struggle with the problem of working all the time - but over the past 49 years of my life, I think my problem is not working too hard. My problem is that I get distracted and lazy - and don't attend to the things that really matter in my life - and in my work. The proverb today uses an agricultural setting to help us understand the value and the blessing of working hard. "He who tills his land will have plenty of bread." If a man works hard at plowing the ground and planting a crop - he will have plenty of grain to harvest and make into bread. God intended for us to work in life. We need to remember that work is not a part of the curse. God had Adam till and work in the garden before the fall. What the fall did was make it to where we would have to work harder. The ground, which formerly grew wonderfully without weeds, was now going to yield the crops we need by the sweat of our brow. It is going to require not just tilling and planting - but also weeding. This was an activity that was unnecessary prior to the fall. This being said, there is a promise here that if we work hard tilling and planting the land - we will have a harvest sufficient to provide plenty of bread for our family. There is something that is good about work. The more I am idle - the more my mind and my heart have time to think of things that will get me into trouble. The saying that an idle mind is the devil's workshop is for the most part true. That is why God wants us to work - and I truly believe He wants us to work hard. The second half of this proverb warns us that the one who pursues worthless things lacks sense. What this is warning against is the wandering mind, and the earthly lifestyle. This man is pursuing worthless things. Worthless is the word "reya" which means something that is empty, worthless, or vain. It indicates something that has nothing in it - it is utterly empty. The unwise man is pursuing emptiness. He is chasing after things that do not matter - and will not matter in eternity. This man, according to Solomon, lacks sense. He is as void in his thinking as he is in his pursuit of these empty pursuits. What he wants and chases after is not worth having. He will open what to him is his treasure chest one day and find that it is filled with things that are void of any value whatsoever. As Solomon says in Ecclesiastes - he has chased after vanity and wind. Here is where we need to consider Ecclesiastes to give us the proper perspective on things. Solomon was arguably one of the richest men to ever live on this planet. Yet at the end of his life, when he wrote Ecclesiastes, he said that all the riches and wealth and opulence was empty, meaningless - a chasing after the wind. He looked at all the money and things he had and came to the conclusion that they were all vain. He looked at all the women he had sexual relations with and concluded that his pursuit of pleasure was all vain. He looked at all the authority and position he had enjoyed - and came to the realization that it too was vain. It is not that these things were evil in and of themselves (unless Scripture forbade his actions). It was that when he pursued these things he was pursuing emptiness - trying to catch wind in his hands. There is also the ones in today's society (and every society) that pursue vain things in the entertainments and amusements of our day. We have millions of children and adults who pursue the high score or the next level on their video games like it was the most important thing in life. We not only have people overindulged in sports - but now have fantasy sports leagues where we follow the ones actually playing in a make believe world of a fantasy league. Some lose themselves in virtual worlds on the computer - others now lose themselves in virtual computer pursuits on their iTouch or smart phone. Regardless of how we are doing it - we are wasting our lives in pursuit of worthless things. On the day when we are ultimately judged for the "tilling and planting of our very lives" we may unfortunately find that these pursuits were the height of foolishness. We may come to grasp that we have lacked the bread of life and as a result have suffered from spiritual famine most of our lives. May God gives us wisdom to learn now that what matters is working hard for the things that matter. What will matter is how we have redeemed the time in providing for our families - loving our spouses and our children - and working in the eternal fields of God's kingdom. If we do, we will have plenty of bread - even the bread that lasts forever. If we do not, we will have the terrifying specter of learning that we have spent our lives chasing after wind. He also who is slack in his work is brother to him who destroys. Proverbs 18:9
Today we are going to be encouraged in our work ethic by God. There is a reason they call it the "protestant work ethic." It is because it came from protestants teaching the Scriptures to their people. Actually it should not be called the protestant work ethic, but rather the "Biblical work ethic." Either way, let's take a look at it today. Solomon warns against a man who is "slack" in his work. The word slack here is the Hebrew word, "rapah" and it means to relax, to cease and desist from doing something. It refers to one who is weak in his will to do something and thus it came to refer to those who were lazy in mind and in body. The warning is against becoming this way in reference to one's work. God wants us to work hard. Some think work is part of the curse, but it is not. God commanded Adam to work the garden before the fall. The difference after the fall was that the garden would now have weeds for the first time. Work would now be far harder than it had ever been before. Now it was labor - it was difficult to do things that would have been far easier before. There was also another problem. After the fall of man into sin, we were also rebellious. We no longer want to do what God wants us to do. Thus we have a double problem of work being harder - and us not wanting to work at all. But Solomon lets us know that the one who is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys. We have more at stake here than just the possibility that someone may think we are lazy. The meaning of destroy here is interesting. It means to spoil or ruin something. The idea is that of corrupting something, perverting it - and thus ruining it. When you have people who do not want to work - they are brother to those who ruin things. Let me illustrate with our current state of things in the business world. We have a climate today where people do not want to work hard at what they do. There are more people who think that they deserve a paycheck, just if they show up to work. They deserve a job, they deserve a paycheck, they deserve health care - they deserve everything - but not necessarily for the reason of having worked hard for it. We are overflowing with rights - but "underflowing" with work ethic. That has led to situation where too many don't work hard - or work with excellence in the workplace. It has led to unions demanding more and more pay for less and less work. They demand more rights, more days off, more benefits - but they are not producing more and more products. The result of this is that our products cost more and more - and we are less and less competitive with other countries whose labor costs much less. The union only cares about getting more from the company - and not about whether the company can compete. The end of all this is plants closing and companies going out of business - because work ethic is pitiful, but demands are high. I know that there are other factors as well such as businesses not making wise decisions and greed - but then again what is this but executives being slack in their work as well. The proverb tells us that the one slack in his work is a brother to one who destroys. There are growing numbers of those who are slack in their work in our workforce - and shock of shocks - our businesses and industries are being destroyed. I've talked with godly men who own businesses and their statement to me is that their greatest problem is finding people who will actually work. What is saddest to hear is that they feel this way even about the Christians that they hire. This is not universal - but it is at what I believe epidemic levels in our society. No small wonder then that we are also at historic levels of unemployment - or at least levels that are rivaling our worst economic situations of the past. God desires for us to work hard. For those of us who know Jesus Christ we have a wonderful opportunity before us. Since the world is losing its work ethic, we will stick out and look much different than the world if we work hard. Thus we have an opportunity to be a strong witness in our actions, which will lead to an opportunity for us to share our commitment to Christ. It will give us opportunity to share why we still have a strong work ethic. It is because we know Jesus Christ. May we be known no longer as ones who are brothers to him who destroys. Instead may we be known as the brothers who build up - and bless. How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest"— 11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man. Proverbs 6:9-11
Everyone needs sleep to be able to function in life. If you don't think this is true - try going without sleep for a few days. But there is a problem that comes with too much sleep. Too much sleep leads to laziness. That is the problem that is pointed out in these 3 verses of Proverbs. The question is put to the sluggard, "How long will you lie down?" The writer of Proverbs asks when he is going to rise from sleeping. Here is the problem - we have a man who is more interested in sleeping than in getting up and doing something. There is not an illness involved here. Neither is there a situation where someone has been up all night working or dealing with a child. This is simply a man who does not want to get out of bed. He doesn't want to do this because he is lazy. It is good to have a routine for yourself that includes a time when you are going to wake up in the morning. For the vast majority of us who have jobs - this problem is solved by our employer, who expects us to show up for work each day when he dictates. We have a choice to sleep in . . . it is just that this choice also involves not having a job, food, a place to live - you get what I'm saying. Because of this fact of life - we wake up and get out of bed. If you want to rear a child well - you will also teach your child to get up and get out of bed as well. For this reason it is good for your child to have a job - even if it is one that is around home. I remember hearing a story about a farmer who taught his children to wake up and get working on the farm. His sons were with him in the corn early one morning when a neighbor commented about this practice. His comment was that he sure was working his boys hard to raise corn. I love the comment the farmer gave in return. He said, "Sir, I'm not raising corn - I'm raising sons." What a wonderful statement. We teach our children to wake up and get going each day because we want to train them and teach them how to live in this world. It would be far wiser for them to learn this lesson young and maintain it throughout life - than to learn it only because necessity demands it when they get a job. When we leave it to necessity to educate them - they often learn the hard way. They also resent having their laziness interrupted with something so harsh as . . . reality. Sleep is not the real problem here. It is what comes with too much sleep. There is sleep and slumber that is perfectly fine. If we go to bed on time - we can get plenty of sleep every night. Our problem usually is discerning between a regular night in life - and one that is special. I know some will scoff at this - but it is also wise to teach children (and some adults as well) the difference between a school night - and a weekend or vacation night. For big people reading this - that can also be said this way. We need to discern the difference between a night when we have responsibilities the next day - and one where we do not. Our problem is that we not only sleep and slumber - but we also get the idea that we can fold our hands and not work. When we decide that we don't have to be diligent - we don't have to be hard working - we don't have to be our best for work and our employer each day - we are making a big mistake. The Scriptures teach us that God desires us to work hard - as if we are working for Him. When it is time to work - God wants us to work. This folding of the hands to rest is a picture of a man who values sleep and rest far more than he does hard work. This may sound fine to most - but God made it clear to us from the Law that for six days we are to labor and do our work. Work was not a part of the Fall of man into sin. Work is something God had Adam do in the garden. When we don't work there will be troubles and problems for us in life. First, we won't earn money with which to pay for food and other living items. Second, if we have a job and don't work hard - we will eventually lose that job. Finally, God calls us to work - and when we don't we often find ourselves doing things that we will regret later. Too much free time - plays right into the hands of the devil. I believe the old phrase is, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop." No work and all sleep makes Johnny a sinful boy. When we don't work something is coming - and it would be wise if we were warned of what that is. Poverty is coming if you don't wake up and work hard. The warning here from Solomon is that poverty is coming to us. Two descriptions of how poverty is coming are given to us to warn us that this visitor is not welcome in our lives. First, poverty is coming in like a "vagabond." The word here means one who walks back and forth on a highway - and it referred to a highwayman. These were people who walked about on the highways and roads who desired to rob those passing on the road. They were thieves and robbers. Thus what Solomon is saying here is that poverty is going to come upon you like a thief hiding near the road. He will rise up suddenly and attack. Usually this comes without a lot of warning. That is the way it is for the sluggard who loves his sleep. He thinks everything is fine - and then suddenly poverty hits him without him being ready for it. The second picture Solomon uses here to describe how poverty is coming is that of an "armed man." What is fascinating about this word is that it actually refers to a man with a shield, and the same word is used of the protective scales of a crocodile. Most commentators figure that this refers to an armed man with shield and with a sword. This one comes upon you for the purpose of taking what you have. I take a different tack on this word. I think it refers to how hard it is to get out of poverty - especially a poverty caused by laziness, lack of discipline, and being a sluggard. You can try to fight a man with a shield - but it is difficult. He is going to be able to ward off all your attempts to harm him. He will prevail more than once - so you have to be wise and fight hard to vanquish him. When a man is lazy and in poverty - he is hit with the proverbial double-whammy. He not only is poor, he is poor and unwilling to work hard to get out of poverty. All of the stories I've heard about those overcoming poverty had to do with those who worked hard to do so. I can't ever remember one where the man or woman slept in every day and barely worked when they did apply themselves. Laziness is a difficult thing to overcome. Someone who loves their sleep does not train easily. They want to relax and NOT work. Thus they face a very daunting future. They don't want to work - but they do want to eat. They don't want to apply themselves - but they do want the stuff that comes from applying yourself. Unfortunately, our government often gives no incentive to get out of this state as they offer welfare programs and far more incentive NOT to work than TO work. Welfare to those who are just lazy is not a help - it hurts them and society as well. Those truly in need can and should be helped by society - but we've gone well beyond that in our nation. We've subsidized far too much laziness and lack of discipline. That is why our growing socialism, and the laziness it encourages by punishing the successful and rewarding those who stick their hand out to the government, is going to receive a visit from these verses one day. One day even nations will be visited by the highwayman and the man with the shield. Unless we encourage work - hard work - and things like industry and frugality and discipline - we will continue to destroy the work ethic in our country. When that work is completed, we will have put the finishing touches on a sleep-loving, work-hating society. Oh, may God give us wisdom to wake up, work hard, make wise financial choices, and honor Him in it all. May He have mercy on our country and help us to see that laziness, self-indulgence, and the thought that our government owes us a living are not helping us - these things are destroying us. He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully. Proverbs 10:5
Something that used to be said often was that the protestants in Christianity had a strong work ethic. In fact, this was known as the protestant work ethic. The place where such a strong motivation and exhortation to work was learned was from the Scriptures. Here we see one of those passages that encouraged and exhorted people to work hard. Work existed before the fall. It is a godly thing to work - and the very first work was tending a garden. Thus in Israel's agrarian world the idea of working in the fields, planting and harvesting crops was something that was valued highly. The son who gathered in summer, when the crops were ripened, was a son who acted wisely. He knew when hard work was required - and when it would yield great benefits. This is another area where work ethic is important to us. We work hard because we gain from the work that we do. The Lord encouraged a system where hard work by the individual and the family yielded gain and blessing to those individuals and families who worked hard. Only in extreme situations did the Lord have men live in a way that they worked so that they could equally share things. Too many look at the early days of the church and deduce that God wants us to live in a commune - or in some kind of socialist utopia. There is far more Scripture that tells us that we are rewarded individually for working hard. Socialism and Communism eventually break down into those who work hard - and others who benefit by taking what those who work hard produce. Thus these systems promote laziness and a lack of a work ethic. It is only when a man can personally benefit from his own hard labor that work will be encouraged throughout society. And . . . it is only when a lack of work results in shame, disgrace, and poverty that work will be respected and embraced by all in society. This is what the second half of our proverb today encourages. The son who sleeps in the harvest is one who acts shamefully. Shame will come upon him when he has nothing to show for his laziness and slothful attitude and actions. There is also a spiritual application to this passage that we should not miss - because the whole idea of gathering and harvesting are terms that God uses in reference to the work of evangelism that should be taking place in the life of a New Testament believer. The son who gathers as the Spirit of God is working is a wise son. He recognizes that the gospel must be planted and watered in the lives of those who need to know Christ. There is also a time to gather - as God brings a harvest in accordance with our diligence to share Christ with others. But the son who sleeps spiritually - who is too busy loving the world and the things of the world - is indeed a shameful son. He does not see that we only have a very limited amount of time to share the gospel in this life - and therefore wastes that time in foolish pursuits. God expects us to work - and to work hard. He wants us to work so that we can provide for ourselves and our families. He wants us to work so that the gospel can touch each and every generation. And just as important . . . He wants us to teach our sons and our daughters to also enter into work - the work of provision as well as the work of eternity. |
Proverb a DayEach day, we'll take a look at a verse from the chapter of Proverbs for the day. Our hope is to gain wisdom each day - and from that wisdom - to have understanding to make godly decisions in the throes of everyday life. Thank you for visiting our website! Everything on this site is offered for free. If, however, you would like to make a donation to help pay for its continued presence on the internet, you can do that by clicking here. The only thing we ask is that you give first to the local church you attend. Thank you!
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