There's Hope For TodaySample

I have this advice for the lazy: Get used to poverty!

Lazy and waste go hand-in-hand to produce nothing less than a steady drain on relationships, families, cultures, and churches. I once had a man make a serious attempt at convincing me that God had told him not to work. He was freeloading on a couple of well-meaning friends and expecting the church to give him a couple hundred dollars to help him make ends meet. I took him to Paul’s admonition to the Thessalonian church concerning working and eating. He was unmoved. “God won’t let me work,” he said. I replied that the Apostle Paul wouldn’t let me give him any money.

He was deeply offended by my insensitivity. I was deeply disgusted by his contempt. I fought the urge to give him a boot as he shuffled out of my office to go con some other church. He was smart, well educated, talented, even handsome, but dreadfully lazy and arrogant. He probably found a preacher somewhere to pay his bills until God lifted his ban on earthly labor.

The Christian community could have a powerful impact on the world next week if every believer would work as though they were working for the Master. In truth – we are!