God At WorkSample
Fight Laziness And Work Hard
Every able-bodied person must work hard. Imagine a society where nobody works! That will lead to all kinds of sinful activities. Both the Old and New Testaments condemn laziness. Especially, the book of Proverbs repeatedly rebukes laziness and encourages hard work. Let me remind you of a few Scriptures.
“How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man” (Prov. 6:9-11). So, laziness hinders productivity and leads to poverty.
“In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty” (Prov. 14:23). Hard work is profitable, but empty talk leads to poverty.
“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth” (Prov. 26:15). A lazy person doesn’t even want to move an inch!
A lazy person gives all kinds of excuses to avoid work: “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!” (Prov. 26:13)
True spirituality requires that we work diligently and provide for our own family: “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8).
What’s more, Apostle Paul instructs that “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). He goes on to tell them to “work quietly and to earn their own living” (2 Thess. 3:12). The Bible teaches a strong work ethic (Eph. 4:28; 1 Tim. 5:8). It reminds us that we are called to do good works (Eph. 2:10). So, let’s fight laziness and work diligently.
About this Plan
In this devotional, Dr. David Mende writes that since we spend so many hours at the workplace every day, God is concerned about our work and He’s at work even as we work. He doesn’t want us to see our work as drudgery. Rather, He wants us to give our best as we work.
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