WE ARE NOT SLOTHS

Dear Believer,

Proverbs 18:9 KJ2000
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

The English word ‘slothful’ is descriptive. Sloths are a kind of animal that is so slow that it is a wonder any of them is left in the forests.

Sloths are the slowest land animals. They move at the ungainly speed of 0.25-0.50m/s. They are only able to survive because they know how to hide, using camouflage.

That is just like many people who love to hide from responsibilities. They are the human sloths.

The Word of God makes it plain that slothfulness is not compatible with Christianity.

Hebrews 6:12 KJ2000
That you be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

We are not sloths!

The promises of God are for us. However, we just don’t get them fulfilled by loafing around in indolence. We must be up and doing. We are not to be slothful. We are called to be workers together with Him. (2 Corinthians 6:1).

As citizens of the Kingdom, the principles of the Kingdom work for us as much as we work them out in our lives. We must meticulously ‘follow those who through faith and patience obtained the promises.’

This is talking about our spiritual forebears. Abraham is called the father of faith, but his faith did not preclude him from getting productive. He worked so much that at a time, he had a personal workforce of hundreds of people who could be quickly arranged into a standing army that defeated professional armies of nations.

Not a single one of the heroes of the faith listed in the Word of God were lazy. God’s call on their lives didn’t sissify them. They were given grace, but they didn’t take the grace in vain; they worked with it.

Jesus told his disciples:

John 5:17 KJ2000
But Jesus answered them, My Father works still, and I work.

God is a working God. Jesus is a working Lord. Where would a lazy Believer claim to get his laziness from?

Jesus said about His ministry:

John 9:4 KJ2000
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work.

Jesus makes it clear here that there is a time to work, and that time must be maximized. It will be fruitless to try to work when the night of life has come.

The work of God must be done by men. Angels won’t perform our responsibilities for us, no matter how much we decide to pray or ‘exercise faith.’

This covers both our ‘spiritual’ and ‘secular’ life. Slothfulness is one vice that we must steadfastly resist. Our children must grow up to detest and resist slothfulness and be taught not to be friends with lazy people

No matter how great your vision is or how fabulously gifted you are, if you let slothfulness take ahold of your life, it will all be a waste.

At the end, God will not reward your abilities or talents; He will only reward you for what you did with them.

To the churches in Revelation, Jesus kept saying, “I know thy works.”

He didn’t say, “I know thy gifts,” or “I know thy intentions.” All those wouldn’t matter if they didn’t work.

Believer, this is the time to work. The Vineyard needs you. Put your gifts to work and make your life count in the Kingdom.

Remember, “The night comes when no man can work.”

Have beautiful day.

Your firend,
Deon.