How to Find Meaning in Your Work
How to Find Meaning in Your Work
- Greg Waybright
- Proverbs 14:23
- How to: Live
- 38 mins 6 secs
- Views: 1304
Study Notes
How to: Find Meaning in Your Work – Week 12 – Study Notes
How To Find Meaning In Your Work
Proverbs About Work and Laziness
The Book of Proverbs has a lot to say about work. Sometimes, it’s teaching comes in stories – like stories about ants – rather than the “how to” directions we might find in business books today. At other times, its teaching comes in rather cryptic sayings that, when we first read them, we think we know what they mean – until we stop long enough to reflect on them. Let’s look at one of those sayings: Proverbs 14:23:
In all hard work there is something to be gained.
But mere talk leads to impoverishment.
How does that Proverb strike you? What does it say to you?
What if you’re unemployed? Do you read that proverb and think, “I’d like to have some work – hard or otherwise. That Proverb doesn’t have anything to say to me?”
Or, what if you’re underemployed – working hard at a job that doesn’t pay enough to support you and your family? You might wonder whether the proverb is true at all. You may think you aren’t gaining anything from all your hard work.
Or, what if you’re the supervisor of lots of people and fairly well off financially? Maybe you think, “That’s right. I’m where I am because of my hard work!! These other people are poor because they don’t work as hard as I do.” Is that what the Bible is saying?
Or, maybe you’re a student who lives at home and your parents keep telling you to go and do your homework – but you just want to keep watching YouTube? Is God saying anything to you in this verse?
Or maybe you’re recently retired and you come to church and hear God say, “There is always benefit in hard work but mere talk leads to impoverishment.” Do you think? “There’s nothing in that verse for me! I’m tired of working hard. And I made enough money so I don’t have to work!” What’s God saying to you?
I find that almost every Proverb hits each of us in a different way depending on our situation in life at the time we read it. So I ask, “What is God saying to you through Proverbs 14:23 today?”
Here’s what I’ll do in this sermon. I’ll take this verse apart phrase by phrase to help you meditate on it:
Phrase 1: “All Hard Work” –
The Book of Proverbs is very positive about the role that work plays in the world. In fact, the whole Bible is positive about work. When we open the pages of Scripture, we find that God is working, creating, digging into dirt and making things. Then, from the very first descriptions of human beings, we find Adam being placed in the Garden of Eden not to be a philosopher or an academic, but to be a farmer‑‑"to till the ground and keep it." Remember that Moses, later on in the commandments, lays down exactly what proportion of our time ought to be spent in work. "Six days you shall labor," God says. I'm afraid some forget that that is as much a part of the commandment as "on the Sabbath you shall cease from work."
Then, when we turn to the NT, we discover this same appreciation of daily work. It's significant that Jesus was a carpenter and that Paul, great intellectual that he was, saw it to be a good thing to practice his craft of tent‑making. He would say, "With my own hands I minister to meet needs." It was also Paul who talked in the strongest terms to be found in the Bible about the importance of doing our work when he came across church people in Thessalonica who, in their zeal for the second coming of Jesus, felt that the spiritual thing to do was to hand in their notices to their employers. "If any man will not work," said Paul, "neither will he eat!" You can't get much clearer than that. So the Bible believes in work ‑‑ from cover to cover.
But, this phrase in Proverbs, “in all hard work”, takes this positive biblical teaching about work to a new level. The Hebrew word translated “work” (“aseb”) is a word that refers to more than just the work we do at our jobs. It has to do with going diligently after any kind of assignment that requires focus, discipline and even struggle to get it accomplished.
With that in mind: What has God called you to do at this moment? I believe your work, your God-given calling right now is to listen carefully to determine what God has to say to you through his Word. How are you doing at that task? God says, “In all hard work there is something to be gained.”
Every day of your life, there are many tasks that you have – some great and some seem small. Like what? This word for “hard work” certainly includes employment when you have it. Solon says you should go whole-heartedly at that job responsibility. You should be the best worker at the job that you can be (when you have a job). How did Paul put it in Ephesians 6? “Serve wholeheartedly as if you were working for the Lord, not just people.” But note this: The “hard work” Proverbs 14:23 calls for also includes things like being the hardest working student you can be when you are a student – being the most focused and friendliest welcomer you can be when you are greeting a stranger – being the best listener you can be when your task is to listen – being the best pray-er you can be when you are asked to pray.
I want you to think of it this way: Whatever task you have each moment of each day in any place or situation is the task God has given you. View it as a calling from God. So, never give half an effort. Give it your all. Proverbs’ “hard work” calls for a way of life in which everything you do is done with diligence.
The picture Proverbs uses to describe this way of life in 6:6-9 is an ant: “Think about the ant! Consider its ways and be wise. It has no commander. It has no leader or ruler. But it stores up its food in summer. It gathers its food at harvest time.”
What should you learn about hard work from the ant? You should learn from the ant is that the motivation to be productive and live life well comes from within. You should learn from the ant to get up and get started with whatever you know must be done at the moment. The ant is Col. 3:23 in action, i.e., “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not just for people.”
So, this 1st phrase in 14:23 phrase applies to everyone, every day and in every situation. It says that you should not just muddle through your days and live as if what you do doesn’t matter. Live each moment of life with focus – with energy. It’s teaching you that there is always something productive that you can do with your time and with your life. When you read this verse, you should see a call to waking up each day and asking, “God, what would you have me to do today? I may not be able to do what I might choose so I choose this: to be your representative. I’ll work hard and bring blessing to those who come across my path.”
Phrase 2: “In all hard work there is something to be gained.”
When you engage in energetic, focused work, the Bible tells you there is always benefit. What kind of benefit comes from hard work? And who benefits? Some have read this verse and, without any careful reflection, have thought it promises, “If you work hard, you’ll get rich!” But does God say that?
I want to say as clearly as I can that there usually is some personal benefit when you live every day fully alive and being as productive as you can. Every person who has lost his job and found it difficult to find new work will affirm that. Every person who has retired and lived a period of uncertainty – not quite knowing what to do next – will say “amen” to that. The gain from hard work is sometimes material – but not always. And, your work doesn’t have to be paid work – simply something that is productive and makes a difference. I imagine all of us know the incredible sense of satisfaction that comes when you have taken on a tough task and completed it. Jesus spoke of this profoundly when he told his disciples in John 4:34, “My food, i.e., my nourishment and fulfillment, is to do the will of my Father and to accomplish his work. Jesus was saying that when you work hard and complete something God has called you to do, you experience what the Jews called “shalom”, i.e., you have a deep sense of fulfillment in your soul.
And, there is surely some material benefit that comes from hard work too, i.e., the one who works hard is more likely to have food to eat and a place to sleep than the on who doesn’t. There are times when that doesn’t happen. I know that. Jesus had times when he didn’t have a place to lay his head. Paul had times when he was in need. But, usually, hard work leads to your needs being provided. That’s what Prov. 28:19 is getting at when it says, “Those who work their land will have food. But those who chase fantasies will be very poor.” I am aware that there are some people who are lazy and who have food simply because they were born into a wealthy family or have cheated. But, the Bible strongly contends that the eventual outcome of any life of laziness is not good. It results in a wasted life and judgment when people stand before God.
And I want you to notice this: The “something to be gained” that 14:23 talks about is not just for the one who works hard. When you live a life that is focused on making the most of every moment and accomplishing what God would have you accomplish in every task, others benefit too? I contend that when you live in keeping with this verse, everyone around you benefits.
Your marriage and family will benefit when you work hard – usually financially but always relationally. If you got up this morning and you were focused on greeting your family members with warmth and kindness, you will find that they gain from that. When you get the coffee made, get out of the shower in time for them to get in, get out to the car in time for you to make it to church on time, and engage in meaningful conversation, everyone benefits.
Your church will benefit too. When you get here on time ready to worship and learn from God’s Word, it will affect everything in the service – both for you and those around you. When you serve our children and students teaching them to the best of your ability, they will gain from it. The whole church will!
Your workplace or those in your school will benefit from your hard work too. I think you know that. I don’t have to give illustrations of that. The way you live your life affects everyone whose life touches yours. “In all hard work, there is something to be gained.” It’s a profound truth.
Phrase 3: But mere talk…
The most unforgettable verses in Proverbs may be its descriptions of lazy people. Read 26:13-16.
Envision that picture painted in words: It’s of a lazy person who is not just tied to his bed but hinged to it‑‑like a door. He's so mentally weary that he can hardly muster enough energy to feed himself. Just listen to the feeble excuses he makes for getting nothing done. "There's a lion in the road!" If he would but be aware that he's a lazy person, there might be hope for him. But no, he's convinced that everybody else is wrong and that he is the one who is always right. I think that's what Solomon is getting at when he says, "He's wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly." So he thinks that all he is not doing is perfectly reasonable and he's not even aware that he's being lazy. That's the problem with preaching a point like this. The workaholic will probably think he even has to work harder. And the real lazy one can't even conceive of the possibility that the message might be directed to him.
If the hard working person is like an ant, then the lazy person is like a sloth. Sloths sleep from 15-18 hours a day. They are among the slowest moving mammals in the world. They hang upside down most of their lives. And they move so slowly that green algae grows on their fur. I want you to see what this kind of laziness is like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiE5AQHKj_Y
In 14:23, this way of life is described as being one of “mere talk”. Other Proverbs put it in other ways: 28:19 – they chase fantasies; 21:5 – they have no purpose or aim in life; 21:13 -- they ignore the cries of the poor; and 24:30 – they don’t have any sense and they don’t want to work. And the result of this is found in the last phrase of Proverbs 14:23. I don’t want any of those things to be said of you!
Phrase 4: But mere talk leads to impoverishment.
So what is impoverished when a person is lazy? What goes lacking when you waste your days? We’ve already seen verses that say that this person ends up feeling dissatisfied – and that his life has been wasted. 6:11 points out that laziness will leave you in the same situation as if “someone had robbed you.” But, in reality, you have robbed yourself! More often than not, an unwillingness to work hard leads to poverty. At the end of the day, it is empty. God has made us with the great privilege of being able to affect things around us. We can live each day bringing blessing through our work.
A study that appeared in the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that sitting and viewing television for an average of 6 hours a day can cut your life short by 5 years? The researchers claim that every hour of television watched after the age of 25 reduces the viewer’s life expectancy by 21.8 minutes. By comparison, smoking a cigarette reduces life expectancy by about 11 minutes. So, one hour of television equals 2 cigarettes. This last phrase in 14:23 might be translated, “Laziness empties you out!”
But, unfortunately, a sluggard’s laziness injures other people too – and that’s even worse. Proverbs is clear in teaching that a sluggard impoverishes the entire family and community. What does it say?
- Laziness brings shame upon the family. 10:5: A child who gathers crops in summer is wise. But a child who sleeps at harvest time brings shame to the family. God calls you to work ‑‑ not just for your own benefit but for the blessing it brings to your family and friends. Everyone here today knows what it’s like when the entire family is constantly waiting for a person who is always so tired, so late and so lethargic. It drains the life out of each day and each encounter.
- Laziness irritates people at work and harms the business. 10:26: Those who don’t want to work hurt those they work for. They are like vinegar on the teeth or smoke in the eyes. In fact, as a very close friend, who is an excellent businessman, told me, “Greg when you do job review with a sluggard, he usually ends up evaluating the supervisor. When that happens, you’ll soon find you have to make a change. That person will poison everyone.” The reason this happens, of course, is that the lazy person has learned over the years to blame his lack of productivity on others. Like being an angry person or a lustful person, laziness becomes a way of life that is not easily changed.
I think the most incisive verse about how laziness leads to impoverishment is 18:9: “Anyone who doesn’t want to work is like someone who destroys.” That's a very serious verse. It tells us that our laziness has an impact on the whole society around us. We wreck your world when you live idly.
Let me draw this together: What I think Proverbs calls for is the way of life Paul talked about in Eph. 5:15-16: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.” Or in 1 Cor. 10:31 – “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Or Eph. 6:7: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.
Lake Avenue church people: Don’t ever just muddle through a day of your life! When it comes to having your life count, Proverbs teaches that every day you face a choice of going one of two ways. You can go 1) the way of laziness, of least resistance or 2) the way of energetic “kingdom effectiveness”. The way of least resistance, according to Proverbs is the way of procrastination. It is the way of staying in bed too long, missing assignments too often and always making excuses. It is the way of saying, “It doesn’t matter whether I work today or not.” “It doesn’t matter what time I show up at work.” “It doesn’t matter if I check out a few minutes early.” The way of laziness is the way of saying, “The boss isn’t around; nobody is seeing me.” It is always saying, “Tomorrow – maybe tomorrow.” It is the way of no plans, no forethought, and no enthusiasm. It’s a rotten and destructive way to live.
The way that I’m calling “kingdom effectiveness” is very different. It is not workaholism. Even something as fulfilling as work can become an obsession. Work is a terrible god. And the Proverbs’ way of work calls for times of rest and vacation too – but that’s another sermon. What Proverbs is talking about is ta lifestyle of being willing to get up early to fulfill a commitment. It is the way of preparation, diligence, showing up for work on time, and giving 8 good hours of work for 8 hours pay. It’s doing what you’re Job Description says you should do -- and then doing what needs to be done even if you’re not told.
Here’s the ironic thing about these two ways? The way of laziness looks easy but once you get on it, it turns into something unimaginably hard. And the way of kingdom effectiveness, the way God calls you to work, looks hard but once you are on that path, it turns out to be deeply fulfilling and life-giving.
So, do something with the life that God has given you! If you are working, work with energy each day. If you are a student, go after those assignments with fervor each day. Whatever you have the opportunity to do, do it with all the might God gives you. Do it as if you were doing it for the Lord – for that’s exactly what you’ll be doing.
In all hard work there is something to be gained.
But mere talk leads to impoverishment.
Proverbs 14:23
Chinese Translation
How to: Find Meaning in Your Work– Study Notes – Chinese Translation
如何在工作中找到意義
箴言中谈到的工作與懶惰
箴言書中有很多處談到了工作。有時候,其中的教導以故事的形式出現,而不是羅列出“如何”工作的清單。還有些時候,箴言的教導帶有一種神秘性。當我們第一次讀的時候,我們以為自己已經明白了經文的意思,直到我們停下來很久之後再反思其中的含義,才發現未必如此。讓我們一起看箴言14:23:
諸般勤勞,都有益處。嘴上多言,乃致窮乏。
這節經文對你有什麽影響?它給了你什麽信息?
如果你失業了怎麽辦?你是否邊讀這節經文邊想:“我想要工作。這節經文對我沒有什麽用”?
或者,如果你半失業了怎麽辦?你努力做一份工作,但是卻不能支持你和家人的生活。你會懷疑箴言的話是不是可信。你可能會想,你努力工作,卻沒有得到任何好處。
再或者,如果你手下雇傭很多人,經濟上很富裕,你可能就會想,“是的,我能到今天的地步是因為我努力工作!!這些人貧窮是因為他們沒有像我這樣努力。”聖經是這樣說的嗎?
也許你是一個學生,住在家裏,你的父母總是告訴你去做功課,但是你只想繼續看YouTube。神有沒有藉著這節經文對你說話?
也可能你最近退休了,你來到教會,聽到這節經文:諸般勤勞,都有益處。嘴上多言,乃至窮乏。你有沒有在想:“這不是對我說的!我已經厭倦了努力工作了。我也不會窮乏了,因為我已經賺夠錢了。我已經退休了!!”如果是這樣,神給你的又是什麽樣的信息呢?
我發現,箴言中幾乎每節經文,都會以不同的方式,在我們面對生命不同的境況時,影響著我們。所以我要問:”今天,藉著箴言14:23,神要給你什麽信息?”
我想把這節經文分解成四個短句,來幫助大家思考。
短句之一:“諸般勤勞”
箴言書對於勤勞工作的人在世上的角色是持非常正面的看法的。打開聖經,我們看到神在工作,創造,挖土,造萬物。然後,從最開始的關於人類的描述,我們發現,神將亞當放在伊甸園的目的,不是讓他做哲學家或者學者,而是做農夫,來治理全地。”請記得,摩西後來在十誡中明確規定了我們應當工作的時間。“你應當工作六天。”恐怕有些人已經忘記了,這與十誡中所說的“安息日你們要停止工作”一樣重要。
然後,當我們轉向新約時,我們看到了其中對每日工作的贊賞。耶穌是一個木匠,保羅,一個出色的知識分子,卻以編織帳篷為樂。他說:“我用自己的雙手來自給自足。”也是保羅,他遇見貼撒羅尼迦教會的人們,那時,他們正熱切地等待耶穌的再來,他們認為,一個屬靈的舉動,就是給老板一張辭職通告。保羅當時以聖經中最強烈的用詞,談到工作的重要性,他說:“如果任何人不工作,他就不能吃飯!”這個意思再清楚不過了。所以整本聖經都贊同人們工作。
然而,“勤勞工作”這個詞語,將工作的正面教導帶入一個新的層次。希伯來文的“工作(aseb)”這個詞,不單單指的是我們日常的職位,而是關乎所有需要集中精神、紀律,通過奮鬥和辛勤努力,來完成的工作。
那麽,這個時候,神呼召你做什麽?我相信,在這個時刻,你的工作和神所賜給你的呼召,是仔細傾聽,確定神通過祂的話語,要對你說些什麽。你在這件事上做得如何呢?神說,“諸般勤勞,都有益處。”
你生命中的每一天,都有許多要去完成的任務,這些工作有大有小。它當然包括你現有的工作,你應當全心去履行這個責任。當你有工作的時候,你應當盡力做最好的職員。保羅在以弗所書中是怎樣說的?“無論做什麽,都要從心裏作,像是給主做的,不是給人做的。”箴言書14:23中所說的“諸般勤勞”,也包括了那些努力做好學生的人,當你迎接陌生人的時候,你應當盡力做最專心和最友善的迎接者。如果你的工作是聆聽,那麽你要做一個最好的傾聽者;當別人請你禱告的時候,你要做一個最好的禱告者。
我希望你能這樣想:無論何時何地何種狀況,你所做的工作都是神所賜給你的,你要將它看成神的呼召。不要只付出一半的努力。要全力以赴。聖經藉著這個短句呼召我們,要有這樣的一種生活方式,那就是,做任何事情都要勤勞。
6:6-9藉著螞蟻描繪了一個有這樣的生活方式的圖畫:“你去察看螞蟻的動作,就可得智慧。螞蟻沒有元帥,沒有官長,沒有君王,尚且在夏天預備食物,在收割時聚斂糧食。”
從螞蟻的辛勤工作中,你應當學到什麽?你應當向螞蟻學習的是,碩果累累和生活富足的內在動力。你應當向螞蟻學習,起來,以你所知的為開始,盡力完成你的工作。螞蟻所做的,正如歌羅西3:23所說的:“無論做什麽,都要從心裏作,像是給主做的,不是給人做的。”
因此,14:23的這個短句可以應用在每個人、每一天和每種狀況中。經文說,你不應當糊塗地混日子、過生活,好像你所做的都無關緊要一樣。要帶著關註、帶著能量度過每一刻。聖經教導我們,你的時間和生命總會有所成就。當你讀這節經文的時候,你應當看到,神每天都在呼喚你去求問祂:”神啊,你今天要讓我做什麽?我可能無法做到我所選擇的,所以我選擇做你的代表,為那些和我相遇的人們帶來祝福。
短句之二:“都有益處”
聖經告訴你,當你參與那些需要積極與專註的工作時,都會有益處。我們從努力工作中能得到什麽益處?誰會得到益處?有些人讀了這節經文之後,未經仔細反省,就認為經文應許我們,“如果努力工作,就會變得富足!”但是神這樣說了嗎?
我想盡可能清楚地說明,假如你每天都充滿活力地生活,並且盡可能有所成就,那麽你通常都會得到一些個人的益處。每個失去工作、又很難找到新工作的人都會證明這一點。每個退休的人、處於不確定時期,不知道前路如何的人,都會說“阿門”。這個益處有時候是物質上的,但並非總是如此。而且你的工作不一定是有收入的,也許僅僅是一種會帶來成就或改變的工作。我想,我們所有人都能體會到,在完成了一項艱難的工作之後的那種不可言喻的滿足感。耶穌在約翰福音4:34中,深刻地告訴祂的門徒,“我的食物,就是遵行差我來者的旨意,作成祂的工。當你努力工作,完成神所呼召你完成的使命時、當你經歷著猶太人所說的“平安”,在靈魂深處有深深的充實感的時候,耶穌就在對你說這句話。
努力工作當然會帶來一些物質上的好處,那些努力工作的人,比不工作的人更可能會有食物吃,有地方住。然而也有的時候並非如此。我知道。耶穌也有的時候沒有枕頭的地方。保羅也有缺乏的時候。然而通常來說,努力工作會使你的需求得到供應。這也就是箴言28:19所說的:“耕種自己田地的,必得飽食。追隨虛浮的,足受窮乏。”我註意到,有一些懶惰的人吃穿不愁,只是因為他們生在一個富裕的家庭裏,或者他們靠欺騙得來財富。但是,聖經堅決主張,任何懶惰的人生的最終結果,都是不好的。它會使人浪費生命,使人在神的面前面對審判。
我希望你能註意到這一點:14:23所說到的“益處”不單只是為那些努力工作的人預備的。當你在神托付你完成的每件事上都專註完成的時候,其他人也會受益。我認為,當你按照這節經文去生活的時候,你周圍的每個人都會得到益處。
當你努力工作的時候,你的婚姻和家庭會得到益處,通常是在經濟上,但常常會在彼此的關系上。如果你今天早上起來,專註在熱情慈愛地迎接你的家人,你就會發現,他們從你得到了益處。當你煮好了咖啡,盡快洗完澡,為要讓他們進去,因而能準時上車到教會,在車上進行一些有意義的對話,那麽每個人都得到了益處。
你的教會也會得到益處。當你準時到這裏,準備好敬拜,學習神話語的時候,就會影響崇拜之中的各個方面,包括你和你周圍的人。當你服事教會的孩子們、盡最好的能力教導你的學生們,他們就會受益,整個教會都會受益!
你的職場,或者在你學校的人都會因著你的努力工作而受益。我想,你很清楚這一點。我不用再多解釋了。你的生活方式影響了每一個與你相交的人。“諸般勤勞,都有益處。”這是一個深刻的真理。
短句之三:嘴上多言
箴言中最令人不能忘記的,大概就是對懶惰人的描述。請讀26:13-16.
想象一下這段文字畫成的畫:一個懶惰人不僅躺在床上,而且像樞紐固定在門上一樣貼在床上。他如此疲累,以至於無法調動足夠的能量來吃東西。聽聽他為自己一事無成找來的無力借口:“街上有壯獅!”如果他意識到自己是懶惰人,也許他還有希望。然而沒有,他相信其他人都錯了,只有自己是對的。我想,這大概就是所羅門所說的,“懶惰人看自己,比七個善於應付的人更有智慧。”因此他認為,他沒有做的事情是非常合理的,他一點也沒有意識到自己的懶惰。這也是在講道講這點時會遇到的問題。工作狂可能會覺得他還應該更加努力地工作。懶惰人甚至無法想到這個信息是有可能為他而講的。
如果努力工作的人如同螞蟻,那麽懶惰人就像樹懶。樹懶一天能睡15-18個小時。它們是世上爬得最慢的哺乳動物。他們活著的大多數時間,都呈倒掛金鐘狀。它們移動得非常慢,以至於綠色海草都在它們的皮毛上生長。我想讓你們看看這樣的懶惰的形象:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiE5AQHKj_
在14:23中,這種生活方式被描述為“嘴上多言”,其他箴言經文也以其它方式做了描述:28:19: “追隨虛浮“;21:5:行事急躁的;21:13:“塞耳不聽窮人哀求的;還有24:30,說到他們沒有意義,不去工作。這一切的結局都寫在14:23中。我不希望你們符合上面提到的任何一點。
短句之四:乃至窮乏
什麽是懶惰導致的貧困?當你浪費生命的時候,你缺少了什麽?我們已經看了幾節經文,說到一個人浪費生命,感到不滿足。6:11指出,懶惰會讓你到達和“遭人搶劫”同樣的境況。然而實際上,你搶劫了你自己!更多的時候,不願意努力工作會導致貧窮。一天結束的時候,一切都是空的。神賜給我們能力,使我們能夠影響周圍的事物。我們每一天都可以藉著工作帶來祝福。
英國運動醫藥期刊的一份研究表明,平均每天6小時坐著看電視會使人的壽命縮短五年。研究者說,一個人25歲之後看的每個小時電視,都會縮短壽命21.8分鐘。相比而言,每吸一支煙會縮短壽命11分鐘。所以,一個小時的電視等於兩支香煙。14:23最後一個短語可以這樣翻譯:“懶惰使你成空!”
但是不幸的是,一個懶人的懶惰也會傷害到其他人,這就更糟糕了。箴言說得很清楚,懶人使整個家庭和社區都貧窮。為什麽這樣說呢?
• 懶惰人為家庭帶來羞辱。10:5:夏天聚斂的,是智慧之子。收割時沈睡的,是貽羞之子。神呼召你工作,不僅僅是為了你自己的益處,也是為要讓你為家人和朋友帶來祝福。今天在座的每一位都知道,如果整個家庭都一直要等一個總是疲累、遲到和昏昏欲睡的人是什麽感覺。它每天、在每次的相遇裏都吞噬著生命。
• 懶惰會激怒職場的人,傷害到業務。10:26:懶惰人叫差他的人,如醋倒牙,如煙薰目。我有一個生意做得很成功的好朋友告訴我:“當你在和一個懶人做工作總結的時候,他通常都會在最後評論他的主管。”一旦看到這件事,你很快就會發現自己要做調整了。那個人會害到很多人。其中的原因,當然是因為那個懶惰的人早已學會將自己的缺乏效率歸咎於別人。正如一個好生氣和貪欲之人,懶惰變成一種生活方式,不易更改。
我想,最尖銳地指出懶惰導致貧窮的經文,是18:9:“作工懈怠的,與浪費的人為弟
兄。”這節經文很嚴肅。它告訴我們,懶惰對我們周圍的整個社會都有影響。當你懶惰地生活的時候,我們應當摧毀你的世界。
讓我總結一下:箴言對我們的呼召,也就是保羅在以弗所書5:15-16中所說到的生活方式:“你們要謹慎行事,不要像愚昧人,當像智慧人。要愛惜光陰。”或者哥林多前書10:31:“你們無論作什麽,都要為榮耀神而行。”或者以弗所書6:7:“甘心事奉,好像服事主,不像服事人。”
在座的每一個人,不要再糊塗地混日子!當你數算生命時日的時候,箴言教導我們,每一天,我們都面對兩個選擇,你可以選擇1)懶惰地生活,向著阻力最小的方向走;2)精力充沛,“為神的國度而有效地生活”。根據箴言,阻力最小的生活,就是拖延,也就是躺在床上太久,不能完成任務太多,常常找借口,就是和自己說,“我今天工作不工作都無所謂”; “我幾點去上班都沒關系”; “我早走幾分鐘沒有問題”。懶惰的人是這樣想的:“老板不在;每人看到我。”他們總是在說:“明天,可能明天。”這樣的人沒有計劃,沒有深謀遠慮,沒有熱情,采取的是一種腐爛和帶有毀壞性的生活方式。
我所說的“為神的國度而有效地生活”則是不同的,它並不是指工作狂。哪怕工作也可能會上癮。工作是一個可怕的假神。箴言中所說的工作方式,是要有休息和假期的,當然這是另一個主題了。箴言所說的,是願意早起履行責任的一種生活方式,它是做好準備、勤奮、準時上班、配得八小時所付的薪水,是做好你的本職工作,然後再做一些不在你的職責範圍之內,卻需要有人去做的工作。
諷刺的是,懶惰的方式看起來很簡單,然而你一旦習慣於此,這種方式就會變得異常困難。為神的國度而有效地生活看起來很困難,然而一旦你踏上這條路,就會得到深深的充實感,並且帶來祝福。箴言教導我們,“容易的路”帶著欺騙,它會使你和周圍的人陷入窮乏。神呼召你所行的路似乎艱難,最終卻引領你邁向充實,成為周圍人的祝福。
因此,讓我們好好使用神所賜的生命!如果你在工作,那麽,每天都精力充沛地工作。如果你是學生,就每一天帶著熱情地去完成那些作業。無論你有機會做什麽,都帶著神給你的能力去做,像是為神在做,因為那就是你的本分。
諸般勤勞,都有益處。嘴上多言,乃致窮乏。
箴言14:23
祂的荣耀,
格雷格Waybright博士
主任牧師
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2015, Lake Avenue Church