Good morning, so far no one guessed correctly who the fictional character was that was invited to fly in the 1986 Challenger. So the right answer was Big Bird.
Tuesday 12/20
Prov. 26:13 “The lazy person claims, There’s a lion on the road! Yes, I’m sure there’s a lion out there!”
These next four verses deal with the proper concerns, regarding those who are lazy, and the humorous excuses he can make for his love of ease.
The Hebrew word used here is only used in Proverbs to describe the person who is too lazy to apply himself to work.
Here in this verse we see the warning is for that person who is too lazy to protect himself. He either fabricates a danger “a lion on the road” or he fears what might be lurking in his world outside of his house.
This proverb has a “can you top this” quality that provides a comedic relief. To those who think that comedy is not to be enjoyed by God or the Christian, these verses about the lazy person proves differently. In fact the Bible uses many varied topics to bring humor out to its reader, and this is one such topic.
In the first humorous scenario, the sluggard uses an imaginary lion to give him cover from being seen for what he is, lazy. The slothful person uses some apparent reason for not being able to enter the world of work, such as, it’s too cold, or hot, or raining, or snowing, etc.
One fact for sure is that our Father wants us to put out the effort to exert ourselves in some form of work. We may ask just why is this important? The next few verses state some of the reasons that work is an important skill set for the believer, let me tell you why I am convinced of its value.
My grandfather was a firm believer in work and here’s why. His parents escaped Germany just before Communism took over their country. With their meager savings they bought a farm in Kansas and raised their boys to see the value of hard work. As they worked on the farm they learned many rich lessons. Each of their boys at age 18 were given $1,000 to begin their dream for the future.
My grandfather had as his dream a pre Home Depot, Lowes goal. He wanted to provide materials at an inexpensive price, in one place. He traveled the county to go to auctions where he bought materials that he felt would be needed in the nearby industry. He worked hard to stock materials which were needed. Even the nearby towns such as Joplin, Webb City, Carthage, etc. would shop at his yard for he kept in stock many unique supplies.
He and my uncle would make plans, or even build equipment for the nearby mining industry from the materials in the yard. He began his business while he was in the sixth grade, his parents back yard at the farm became his warehouse adventure.
It became so successful that he convinced his parents to let him quit school in order to keep up with his demands by local businesses. His teacher who he helped fix her furnace/heater, promised them that she would guide him in his schooling. I guess you could say he was one of the first home schoolers. He completed his high school work and after taking a final test received his diploma.
During this time he built a trailer out of truck parts to haul heavy things because he was too young to drive a car or truck. Later he added a single piston engine to this trailer in order to haul more supplies. Even after getting his license, he kept it though he got better equipment for hauling, just to remind him. Us grandkids climbed all over it & played on it for many years.
His desire for working and saving money became a blessing to many people. He hired many young boys who had gotten into trouble at school, his past teacher would talk to the judge & get permission for them to work with them. In modern day that would be called a reform school. My uncle would teach them basic math, English, while they took lunch break, etc. Together they helped many boys who had failed to get through the normal school experience.
This simple effort by one man, my grandfather, impacted many people around him. You say why Is work important. This is just one reason. His good work ethic effected many positively. Tomorrow I’ll tell you about another such man & his influence by his good work ethics.
So Go With God for He will cause your simple obedience to him, to recognize that work, can be an instrument to impact the world around you.
Grandpa Markley learned early to love God and to talk with Him when he got up in the morning. (reading the Bible was God talking to him, praying was him talking to the Father)
Then when he came home if we were there, he would tell us grandkids of his wonder to just how God worked with him throughout the day. He never failed to see God‘s hand each day through his efforts.
This was something that my father also did in his life, what a rich heritage I was blessed with.
That same heritage can be yours as you Go With God.