7 Minute Read

Prepare Your Heart

To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.

Read God’s Word

Proverbs 5:1-7:5
2 Corinthians 3

A Verse for Today

Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.

Proverbs 6:6-11 (CSB): “Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. Without leader, administrator, or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.”

Reflecting on God’s Word

The words of Proverbs 6:6-11 are clear. Laziness is something to be viewed as contemptible. When Solomon encouraged the lazy person to look as something as an example to follow, he told them to look at a scrawny little ant and learn from it. (I wonder if “considering the ant” was intended to show Solomon’s contempt for the lazy person.) He also warned that when a person is lazy, every day moves them closer to the unenviable consequences of poverty, that in many cases could be easily avoided.

A good work ethic is like a thread that is woven throughout much of the Scriptures.

It begins in the Garden of Eden. Before sin entered the world (Genesis 3), everything was a perfect utopia. It was in this paradise that God expected people to work. Work is not the result of sin. It was part of God’s origin good plan.

Genesis 2:15 (CSB): “The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.”

However, when sin entered the world, the joy and pleasure found in working was undermined as Adam was told that work would become much harder and producer inferior results (Genesis 3:17-19).

In the Bible’s wisdom literature, work is celebrated and laziness is ridiculed. The general life principle is that if we work, we will be able to take care of ourselves and others. If we don’t work, we are doomed to poverty, purposelessness, and even some form of enslavement (we lose to some extent self-determination).

Proverbs 10:4 (CSB): “Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.”

Proverbs 12:24 (CSB): “The diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labor.”

Proverbs 14:23 (CSB): “There is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty.”

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (CSB): “Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” (The Hebrew word “sheol” is the Old Testament name for the place of the dead, righteous and unrighteous.)

A good work ethic is celebrated in the New Testament. Laziness is seen as horrible stewardship of the one life that God has entrusted to us. Therefore, ongoing idleness among able-bodied Christians must not be allowed without rebuke. We must make the most of our lives and prepare to stand before our Judge one day as He takes an assessment of what we did with what we had (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). (GotQuestions article: “What is the judgment seat of Christ?”)

Colossians 3:23-24 (CSB): “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 5:14 (CSB): “And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 (CSB): “Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother or sister who is idle and does not live according to the tradition received from us. For you yourselves know how you should imitate us: We were not idle among you; we did not eat anyone’s food free of charge; instead, we labored and toiled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you. It is not that we don’t have the right to support, but we did it to make ourselves an example to you so that you would imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: ‘If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.’ For we hear that there are some among you who are idle. They are not busy but busybodies. Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and provide for themselves. But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing good.”

1 Timothy 5:8 (CSB): “But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

That last verse is particularly powerful! Essentially, the Apostle Paul realizes that people who are unbelievers will be condemned to a place called Hell forever. Yet, able-bodied and/or able-minded people (particularly men; notice the masculine pronoun in the verse) who do not work to take care of their own family are WORSE than people who have rejected God and will spend eternity in Hell. Clearly, Paul holds idle people who don’t care for their own family in utter contempt.

Will we work in our Heavenly home, on the new Earth (Revelation 21:1ff)? Yes!

Revelation 22:3 (CSB): “… The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will worship him.”

The word “worship” is a Greek word that also means “serve.” Revelation 22:3 could be translated this way: “And His servants will serve Him.” Essentially, we will go back to the design of the Garden of Eden, where we will work, but it will be a pleasure. We will no longer experience the curse of sin, and work will be so rewarding.

So, my friend, don’t be lazy. Don’t waste the one life God has given to you. If you are young, get to work. If you are older (and even retired), don’t be lazy. “Retirement” is a cultural word that is not found in Scripture. Don’t waste your life. Find something to do for the Lord and others, and get busy.

Spend Time in Prayer

  • Ask God to help you see if you are complying with the Bible’s instructions regarding a hearty work ethic (of course, honoring the Sabbath command as well; six days’ work with one day of intentional rest).
  • Ask God to help you find something to do that is constructive and promotes His kingdom and blesses others. Then get busy.

Going Deeper

If you want to dig a little deeper into what a Christian work ethic looks like, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:

“What is a Christian work ethic?”

Sharing

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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)