How do we apply diligence to something we don't want to do?


 TODAY'S PROVERB: The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy will become forced labor. Proverbs 12:24

Forced labor? For someone who was lazy, this had to be a real wake-up call.

What is laziness? It's being unwilling to work or extend energy--even though the person is able bodied and has the mental capacity.

Another part of laziness is to work, but in a shoddy fashion. The work is either half-done or poorly done.

By the way, laziness is not rest. I think some of us have a fear of being lazy, so we work until our bodies and mind give out. GOD created us for work and rest and recreation. We work better when we refresh our bodies and minds.

Laziness can have moral or spiritual ramifications. If we are hired to do a job and don't complete it, or don't complete it well (or spend the time socializing), we've taken money that doesn't belong to us.

When we don't complete a task we said we would do because we just don't feel like it, we're not true to our word.

When we continually avoid responsibilities we create an environment for poverty to grow in our lives. That's actually scary.

In 2 Thessalonians 3:9-11, we're instructed that if a person doesn't work, they don't eat. Which is interesting when we think of many charitable programs out there.

The passage also implies that if folks aren't busy with work, they're busy with something else. And, apparently, that something is getting into trouble.

Here's where I wanted to land. What occupies our day? Do we work focused or distracted? Do we work as unto GOD or as unto our paycheck.

Some professionals say that lazy people are merely unmotivated. We simply need to find them something they will enjoy. Uh. I don't think so.

I am all for finding the right job for the right person, but leaving job assignments to the whim of someone's "motivation" generally doesn't work.

The benefits of work are that we are responsible, accountable, and committed to doing a job well--even if we don't love our jobs. Those are lessons that can only come with working, hard. For those who continue that path of hard work, they will reap wonderful rewards. And that's a good thing.

May we work, my friends.

Proverbs 12:24, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible #tlvproverbs

[WATCH Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with this proverb. Check us out at Tree of Life Bible Society, Monday through Friday, LIVE at 8:30am EST. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]

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