When I was kid, my home church often sang a hymn by Lowell Mason (1792-1872) called, "Work, for the Night Is Coming." It calls the people of Christ to diligent service in light of the fact that one day we're all going to die. Heavy stuff, this hymn!
Did you know that, according to the apostle Paul and for the right reason, Christians should in fact be the hardest-working, most reliable people on earth? (Colossians 3:23) In an affluent culture like ours, we need to pay special attention to hymns and verses like these.
The ancient Chinese had a saying about the value of working hard: "Man stands for long time with mouth open before roast duck flies in."
Though I doubt the saying was originally intended to motivate lazy Christians, the point is certainly well-taken. Does America's growing infatuation with an "entitlement mentality" concern you as it does me? I'm afraid that the more people embrace the idea that they're "owed" certain things (e.g., from government), the less-motivated and lazier they'll become. It's a matter of simple economics really.
Whatever our vocation, let's put in a good day's work to bring praise to our Lord!
Greg
PS Closer to home, Abe Lincoln once quipped, "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."
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