The Value of Work
Spiritual Disciplines • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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A large company, feeling it was time for a shakeup, hired a new CEO. This new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers. On a tour of the facilities, the CEO noticed a guy leaning on a wall. The room was full of workers and he wanted to let them know that he meant business! The new CEO walked up to the guy leaning against the wall and asked, "How much money do you make a week?"
A little surprised, the young fellow looked at him and replied, "I make about $300 a week. Why?"
The CEO then handed the guy $1200 in cash and screamed, "Here's 4 weeks pay, now get out and don't come back."
Feeling pretty good about himself, the CEO looked around the room and asked, "Does anyone want to tell me what that goof off did here?"
From across the room came a voice, "He was the pizza delivery guy from Domino's."
If you could get paid to do one thing what would it be?
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
1. How to Identify Lazy People
1. How to Identify Lazy People
The key element of success in any endeavor is a diligent work ethic. Conversely, the key element of failure in any endeavor is a negligent work ethic—commonly known as laziness. The Bible paints a vastly different picture of laziness and inactivity.
A. They Lack Determination
A. They Lack Determination
14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
These people enjoy the ‘snooze button life’!
ILLUS: I hate snooze alarms
The Bible does not condemn sleep; rather, the Bible condemns excessive, unnecessary sleep.
Lazy people resist the effort to provide for themselves. The entitlement mentality of certain segments of society indicates systemic laziness.
ILLUS: Speaking of ‘a little slumber, a little sleep’...it’s the idea of just a little more sleep, snooze, one more Tik Tok, one more YT video...etc.
Lazy people resist improving their condition through personal effort. They take what is freely given and remain satisfied as long as they are fed with little or no effort on their part.
Q: Think this week about something you’ve been putting off - have some determination.
B. They Have a Tendency to be Wasteful
B. They Have a Tendency to be Wasteful
9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
People who do not work tend to waste. They do not appreciate the value of what they receive because they made no effort for it.
27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.
Lazy people do not complete tasks—frequently engaging in that which is enjoyable (hunting) while ignoring that which is laborious (roasting).
Lazy people do not value their possessions enough to maintain them.
The lazy hunter allows his catch to rot.
“A wasted life is nothing more than a collection of wasted days.”
Q: What are you wasting?
C. They Frequently Make Excuses
C. They Frequently Make Excuses
13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
Lazy people consistently make excuses as to why they must avoid working. Every little thing is a deterrent to the lazy individual.
ILLUS: Today we make excuses like: what if my friends make fun of me, what if it’s hard, what if I fail?
Those who refuse to work deserve poverty. There is a segment of society who should rightly feel the trouble of hunger and poverty brought about by their own excuses.
Lazy people view work as potentially detrimental to their well being. (“I’ll get cold” or “I’ll be eaten by a lion.”)
Q: What lame excuses do you tend to make to not do your work?
D. They’re Just Plain Annoying
D. They’re Just Plain Annoying
26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
You know who these people are - they’re they people that are part of the group project but do nothing - they want the credit but won’t do any of the work.
They’re the co-worker won’t do their job.
Lazy people not only harm themselves, but they harm others as well. A lazy employee is a constant irritation to his boss. The guy that does just enough to get by walks the fine line between a job and unemployment while continually aggravating his employer.
“If you’re pulling on the oars you don’t have time to rock the boat.”
Q: How do lazy people make you feel? Do you want to make others feel that way?
2. How to Spot a Hard Worker
2. How to Spot a Hard Worker
Introduction: Contrary to a popular theory, work is not a part of God’s curse on man at the fall. In fact, almost immediately after the creation of Adam God gave him a specific task(Gen. 2:15)—work. Therefore, work is not a curse, but rather a blessing. God made man that he is only happy and fulfilled when engaged in “work.”
A. He Provides for Himself and Others
A. He Provides for Himself and Others
26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.
8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
Self-satisfaction and a healthy self-respect is a legitimate motivation for work.
It feels better to get money from something we did - there’s value in our work and effort.
The base need for food and livelihood should motivate work.
Be careful of get rich quick schemes – money without the work. (Most of them try to maximize profits but minimize the time you work).
Dave Ramsey – teaching kids about money – says, money comes from work.
The best promise of success is working.
Q: How can you start earning or saving better this week?
B. She Plans and Prioritizes
B. She Plans and Prioritizes
27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
Have you ever woken up and your alarm didn’t go off? You’re late for school, work, or the day?
Whatever the task, think it through first. Preparation begins mentally. Have a general plan for each day.
Make a list of priorities—either mental or written
Eliminate the unimportant—recognize you can only do so much in a day.
Generally, concentrate on the most difficult or time consuming task first.
Processing time at work
Make work a priority. The old adage “Business before pleasure” is Biblical. [Note: you must not work to the neglecting of the home, but your emphasis on the home should not cause you to neglect your work. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. said, “Duties never conflict.”]
Q: How can you be a better planner? (your day, your schoolwork, your priorities).
C. He is Diligent
C. He is Diligent
4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
A diligent person is one who is characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks
To deal with a “slack hand” means to be negligent in work. Those who “live for weekends” rarely prosper!
In weight-lifting there’s an old adage, people will see the results but they won’t see the reps.
Diligence always meets with reward. When opportunity and diligence meet, prosperity soon joins them!
A diligent man is disciplined in his thoughts. Hard work refines thinking toward prosperity. Diligent people are always thinking about how something can be done more efficiently, thus increasing productivity!
ILLUS: My goal to be BN CDR in college ROTC?
Q: Where in your life do you need to be more disciplined and diligent? (School, job, spiritual life...)
D. She is Whole-Hearted
D. She is Whole-Hearted
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
If Jesus was your teacher, would you turn that paper in? If Jesus was your boss, would you have done the job like that?
There should be cheerful wholeheartedness in our work, because it is all done for the Lord. And the Father is always watching.
Do I do my work for the glory of God?
Do I honestly work hard?
Do I work with enthusiasm?
Do I work wholeheartedly – with excellence.
What kind of life do you want:
Lazy and empty
Diligent and blessed
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Jesus said, “I must work the work the works of him that sent me.”
As a worker we should provide for ourselves and others, plan and priorities, be diligent in what we do, and do it whole-heartedly.
Jesus certainly wasn’t lazy – he wasn’t a sleeper – I’m thankful that he finished his work.
