Verse: Proverbs 20: 4
A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.
Devotion
Recently there has been a lot of really good sporting events on TV (the Olympic trials, the NBA finals, the PGA Open, Wimbledon) and I am always amazed at the dedication that it takes to play a sport at a high level. Clearly these people take their God-given talent and maximize it by spending hours in the pool, in the gym, on the courts. One of the tennis players at Wimbledon came into the event having only prepared for a few weeks. He has shown great potential in the past but he lost in the middle rounds. Contrast that to the WNBA player who was asked how her scoring average soared this year and she said that, in the off season, she shot 500 per day every day. She put the work in.
This is such an important life lesson. And that is why it shows up in the “wisdom” book of the Bible. The analogy about farming is a good one. A farmer has to plow the field at the right time so that he can plant his crops. Then they will have the time to grow to maturity under the right conditions of rain and sun. If you start too late, the winter frost will kill the plants before they produce.
I’m sure that your work has similar deadlines that have to be met to achieve your goals. If you want to be really good at what you do, you need to put the work in. Paul exhorted the Christians in Colosse. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward”.
In Prov 6, it says that the sluggard likes to sleep. But as Christians, is that what we are supposed to do? Are we saved and part of God’s kingdom on earth to sleep and rest until we go to heaven? Or are we put here on earth with God-given gifts meant to be used for a purpose? Just as athletes maximize their God-given talent, we should also be actively working to make the most of our gifts for the advancement of His kingdom here on earth.
It’s worth asking yourself today – Am I working hard when I am at work? Am I giving my all at home to be a good spouse and parent? Do I work at being a good friend? Do I expend the effort and practice being a good Christian? What is God saying to you today about areas where you may need to up your game? What field is He telling you to plow today?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the gifts you have given each of us. Help us to see any areas in our lives where we need to begin to do the work that you have laid out for us. Open our eyes to the great things that you have prepared for us to do here.
Author: Brad Dunn
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