Do Your Part

 

 

Pro 6:6-9  Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 

 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 
yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. 
How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
 
Ecc 10:18 Through laziness, the rafters sag; because of idle hands, the house leaks.

Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

 

Life is difficult.  All creatures of this earth must work to survive, gather—sometimes compete—for food, raise their young, protect themselves and their young from predators [in our case, evil].  In every life, family, and community, there is work to be done.  The Bible teaches that we must be sure to do our part of that work. It even says that if a man will not work, he will not be given food! [2Thes. 3:10].  If I do not contribute fairly to the work that must be done in my family, job or community, then someone else must take up the slack. And this creates negative energy in my family or workplace.  People resent being depended on unfairly or having to do more than their fair share of the work. And my soul languishes in laziness—it is not a happy pathway. The happiest people you will meet are productive people. They are involved in activities that are meaningful to them, and helpful to others.  If we want our children to be happy, we must teach them to work. They need responsibilities so they can have the good feeling of contributing to their family and accomplishing meaningful tasks.  Their souls will not flourish if they are too involved in pleasure-seeking,  entertainment, games, computer, TV, etc. And we must help them avoid the pitfall of believing that work is primarily about making money, and that money [or what it buys] will make them happy.  If they cannot be happy in their work, they will never make enough money to buy happiness.

Jesus said that the most important work that we do is the work of believing in Him [Jn 6:27-29]. If we do this work, all other work will come into its proper place because Jesus will not allow us to be lazy; nor will He allow us to become “workaholics”. He will keep our lives in perfect balance.  This is true because we know that He loves us; and He loves others as much as He loves us. He is responsible and compassionate, and He wants us to be also.  In Christ we do our part [or a little more, since it is more blessed to give than to receive {Acts 20:35}], but we do not enable others in their weakness by doing for them what they should do for themselves [See Paul’s teachings about caring for widows in 1 Tim. 5].  We are trying to bring our lives into a clear and healthy focus that is productive and not wasteful. The Bible teaches that the most productive work we can do—the work of God’s people—is to promote and increase the Kingdom of God.  This is the work of the Church [God’s people]. No other work gets neglected in this work of the Kingdom. All work becomes holy when done in the Spirit of Christ, Who washed His disciples’ feet.  It is very important for all believers to contribute to the work of the Kingdom.  I hope you will be prayerfully involved in supporting the work of the Kingdom through your resources, gifts and  abilities. Please pray that God will help you be responsible and diligent in your work; and that He will give you discernment about how to help in propagating the Kingdom, which is the greatest gift that we can give to the world.

 

Lord please deliver me from laziness. Help me to work heartily and joyfully. Teach me how to use what You have given me to contribute to the growth of faith in Christ as the Messiah, so that others can find peace in the family of God.