Walking with the Wise #132: Hard Work Helps

“The hand of the diligent will rule,

while the slothful will be put to forced labor.”

—Proverbs 12:24

Hard works pays off. In life, we have the opportunity to be diligent workers or lazy losers. Those who are willing to buckle down and do the hard things will find themselves in positions of leadership. Leaders look to appoint other leaders who work hard at what they do. No one wants a leader who is lazy—work doesn’t get done, people get hurt, and everyone around suffers. It is the diligent worker who delights those under and over him or her.

God wants to be the Lord over all our life, not just forgive our sins. He wants to transform us—He wants our heart, head, and hands. He wants to be lord of our heart—the inward man or woman. He wants to be the lord of our head—our thoughts. And He wants to be the lord of our hands, which means He wants to be lord of everything we do, and that includes our work. God wants us to work unto Him. Paul, in writing to those in slavery, said,

“Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ”—Colossians 3:22-24.

While we are not in slavery, the same idea is true for us—we are to work for God and not for men. Our work should point other people to the Savior and be the true representation of our relationship with God. If we are able to work and cannot, then we are poor testimonies of the name by which we are called. Indeed, Paul says,

“Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living”—2 Thessalonians 3:12.

He goes so far as to say that if a person is not willing to work,“let him not eat”—2 Thessalonians 3:10. If we have the ability, can we say that we are hard workers? Can others see Jesus in our work? Are we working for the Lord or for men? Work for the Lord because it has both temporal and eternal value. Temporal value to you and your employer, but eternal value as others see Christ in you and are drawn to Him so that they too might come to know Him as Lord and Savior. Amen.