Bible Thoughts January 23, 2000
"I went by the field of the sluggard, And by the vineyard of the man
void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns,
The face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof
was broken down"(Proverbs 24:30-31).
The worth of a person is reflected by his ambition and desires. The lack of worth in a person is reflected by the absence of these attributes. The sluggard referred to by the writer lacked both of these qualities. Energy was gone; goals were absent; nothing seemed worth laboring over. As time progressed, thorns and nettles covered his field. In addition, neglect permitted his stone wall(fence) to fall down. A lazy person leaves evidence of his laziness. "Yet a little sleep, a little folding of the hands to sleep; So shall thy poverty come as a robber, And thy want as an armed man"(Proverbs 6:10-11).
The writer of the above verses stated, "Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw and received instruction"(v. 32). Why, you can learn something even from a slothful person. Don't be like him! Let his example motivate you to do better. Make something of yourself; make something of life. Be energetic in all areas of life. Be enthusiastic for your family; be alert for the needs of others; and more than all, give your time and effort to the Lord, for such will bring a reward in eternity. Too many(one is too many) of the past have put down their sword, for they tired of fighting for the truth. Others neglected to weed out the shortcomings of their lives and lived in a jungle of apathy. They reached spiritual poverty because they were spiritually lazy.
There are consequences of laziness. In the material realm, poverty and want embrace the lazy person. In the spiritual realm, indifference and lack of care for one's soul, as well as the souls of others, emerges. The responsibility in the local church is neglected; the study of the word of God is put aside for other matters; and the kingdom and His righteousness is no longer first in mind and action.
Spiritual weeds and thorns mature in the fertile heart of one who is spiritually lazy. Through the example of a neglectful saint, discouragement can creep into the hearts of fellow disciples. Only by zealous endeavor can such be removed from the heart.
God wants energetic people serving him. Christians who are not only enthusiastic, but who energize others as well. By the example of a zealous person, many can be influenced. Paul commended the brethren at Corinth because "their zeal had stirred up many." How many have I stirred up lately?
"This Is Your Life" was the name of a television program of the past. It was an opportunity to let some celebrity view what had happened to him and what influences brought about his present fame. It also provided an occasion for the person to reflect on the past and visit with those who had a part in his life. They tried to bring reality into the lives of those who often lived in a fantasy world.
This is your life. It is all there is for the present. How it is lived is up to you. The memories you leave and the place where you are now is largely up to you. While some things will be beyond your control, the single, most influential factor as to what will be done with your life and how you live it is you.
Since this is your life, as you reflect on the past year, how does it look? Was it as successful as you desired? What goals did you make and accomplish? Why not examine the past few months and consider the following:
What about your spiritual condition? Did you achieve the spiritual progress that you planned for the past year? What efforts are you now taking to promote your own spiritual growth? It is not up to others to grow for you: that is your responsibility. You have control of your spiritual destiny. Did you study enough last year? Will you this next few months? How about your attendance? Did you seek the worship of God at every opportunity? Just where do you stand? It is up to you for this is your life.
What about your morals? We live in an age that does not respect the Bible and the standards that God has established for humanity. The high standards that Jehovah expects of the disciples of Christ are designed for the good of the Christian. Did you associate with those who would lift your morals? Are you happy with the kind of life that you live? Is God? Make sure the future is governed by the standards of the New Testament. Make high moral standards your aim and "abstain from every evil work."
What is your life socially? Everyone has a social life. Contact with others occurs, either intentionally or otherwise. Have you associated with those who are Christians...people who respect God's teaching in regard to righteous conduct? Was the company you kept of the type that it helped you and helped your family? Have you enjoyed the association of other Christians in their home? in your home? Have you encouraged your children to make friends with those who respect the word of God and righteous living? Are you happy with your love for the brethren? Do you care for the brethren and their welfare? Do you enjoy activities with those who are Christians? One's social life should be directed in activities and associations that improve one spiritually to live a righteous life.
There are many circumstances in life that one can blame for success or failure in living the life of a Christian. Most of such hindrances are minor in relation to one's own responsibility to live a life acceptable to God. As the opening passage pointed out, Paul said it wisely, "...let every man prove his own work."
"For ye are a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away"(James 4:14).