The Lazy Man vs the Worker

[Shadolus]

Clearly the Bible states that we are not to be lazy and learn from the ants. So my question is; Where are we to draw the line? How much work is too much work? How little work is making a man lazy? Is it different for each individual, and do we just use our discernment God gave us? We reap what we sow correct? So that to me means we should give it all we got in order to get the most out of it, but to step back on the Sabbath and relax. It seems simple enough but, yet I feel a bit confused on the matter.

 

[connman]

Clearly the Bible states that we are not to be lazy and learn from the ants. So my question is; Where are we to draw the line? How much work is too much work? How little work is making a man lazy? Is it different for each individual, and do we just use our discernment God gave us? We reap what we sow correct? So that to me means we should give it all we got in order to get the most out of it, but to step back on the Sabbath and relax. It seems simple enough but, yet I feel a bit confused on the matter.

To sum it all up "Whoever don't work, don't eat". God called us to be diligent hardworkers. He doesn't indulged into laziness.

We are ought to work, but not to toil. There's a difference between working and toiling. When we work, we must give our best for God because we are mainly working for Him and not for our earthly CEOs. That is because working is also part of worship as we give God our best as an offering.

I'm not saying we become workaholics, but we must work hard for God's glory. Just don't toil. Work cannot be measured. When you're given a task (even simple ones), you are ought to carry it out and reach the milestone before deadline. Eventhough no one watches you at work, God watches you the whole time. When you obey and carry out the tasks assigned to you, God will promote you and will entrust you to do bigger tasks.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Jake777. We are all different, and we are given different gifts. God wants from us Love, Love for Himself and love for others. Sadly there are some of us, who would run ahead of God, and then find themselves at lose ends. To love God is to be open to all He tells us, and all we can do for Him and each other. When we see someone in obvious need of something we can help with, God will be there to lead us. We are surrounded by our families, friends and neighbours, and to be loving, kind and considerrate, comes natural to God`s Own. We also have the still, small voice of God, (conscience) and if we are ready to listen, we will know God`s Will for us. I would also add that God has given us a brain, we will know what we can, or cannot do. I say this humbly and with love, Jake. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[gabrielListens]

This is Ecclesiastes 2 (NIV). I think it might help you some with your perspective about work.

Ecclesiastes 2

Pleasures Are Meaningless

1 I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. 2 "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?" 3 I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. 4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man. 9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun.

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
and also madness and folly.
What more can the king's successor do
than what has already been done? 13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly,
just as light is better than darkness.
14 The wise man has eyes in his head,
while the fool walks in the darkness;
but I came to realize
that the same fate overtakes them both.
15 Then I thought in my heart,
"The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
What then do I gain by being wise?"
I said in my heart,
"This too is meaningless."
16 For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered;
in days to come both will be forgotten.
Like the fool, the wise man too must die!

Toil Is Meaningless

17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. 21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. 24 A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

 

[heron]

Most of us would admit that we don't really rest on the Sabbath. If we took the official, literal Sabbath, then we wouldn't be cooking big family dinners, running errands, or making home repairs.

If we were honest with ourselves, we would admit that it seems impossible to spend one whole day per week doing nothing. (Prayer allowed, and probably reading.) We go crazy sitting still for a couple hours.

When we feel overworked, an overwhelming feeling takes over. Our mind spins, our ambition is worn, our hope is spent. We take shallow breaths or hold our breath.

Imagine how different we would feel if we worked six days, but then spent an entire day each week sitting still. Not even ushering at church. I don't think we would feel like we'd been working too much -- I think we would be in a hurry to get back to business.

 

[Shadolus]

Most of us would admit that we don't really rest on the Sabbath. If we took the official, literal Sabbath, then we wouldn't be cooking big family dinners, running errands, or making home repairs.

If we were honest with ourselves, we would admit that it seems impossible to spend one whole day per week doing nothing. (Prayer allowed, and probably reading.) We go crazy sitting still for a couple hours.

When we feel overworked, an overwhelming feeling takes over. Our mind spins, our ambition is worn, our hope is spent. We take shallow breaths or hold our breath.

Imagine how different we would feel if we worked six days, but then spent an entire day each week sitting still. Not even ushering at church. I don't think we would feel like we'd been working too much -- I think we would be in a hurry to get back to business.

Hey heron!

I totally get where you are coming from. I think the sabbath is there to show us that we do need to step back from our busy schedules and spend quality time with God. Sometimes we get caught up in our business, and are so focused, that we lose sight of our main priority in life; having a personal relationship with Jesus. When I said take time to relax on the sabbath, I didn't mean that specifically, sorry if that made you wonder about how I view the sabbath lol. I basically was just saying that; how much work is too much work with realizing we need to rest? I hope that clarifies up my perspective on this thread regaurding the sabbath!

God bless you from your brother in Christ

 

[Ric von Hemal]

The sabbath was made for man, not the other way around. God knows our limitations, and the sabbath is sort of His ounce of prevention for our well-being. Imagine trying to go a whole week without sleep... you'd be useless for the month after! Our spirit needs that same rest, too. Not the do-nothing rest, but the kind where we rest in God, where we simply spend the day with Him like we would with grandma, or dear old dad.