Thursday's Thought: Whistle While You Work

He who observes the wind will not sow,
and he who regards the clouds will not reap. (Ecclesiastes 11:4 ESV)

In light of the new "Snow White" movies, I figured I would title this post, "Whistle While You Work" (although I don't think the Huntsmen - a.k.a Thor - is much for whistling a catchy tune). However, I often find myself just whistling without much work getting done.

I have been reminded recently by the Lord - both in His Word and through my wife - to just "get to work" on what needs to be done. My tendency is to wait for just the right moment to dive into what I know God has called me to do - or even to begin working hard. 

I "function well" under pressure, so I procrastinate. Despite my "ability" to get the job done at the last minute, this is no excuse for my procrastination. Even in writing papers for school I spend a lot of time "observing the wind" as I peruse through page after page, often reading things that aren't necessarily pertaining to the topic of my paper. Thus, "sowing" any words on the page becomes more and more delayed. I guess that makes me a "lazy-nerd" - gaining knowledge with nothing to show for it.

But Proverbs would call me a "sluggard" rather than a nerd:

Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler,
she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8 ESV)

Notice the ant makes preparation without any prompting. How many of us - myself definitely included - require persistent prodding before we put our hands to the plow? This results in nothing. Did you hear that (Jonathan) ... NOTHING! Look again at Ecclesiastes 11:4,

... and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

Not only does nothing get planted, but no fruit is reaped at harvest time. Staring at the clouds - or your computer screen, your books, your math homework, that thing to write, that project to accomplish, that job to apply for, that task that falls under "All other duties as assigned" in your job description that you really wish you didn't have to do - whatever it is that you (and I) sit, stare at, and contemplate doing WITHOUT EVER DOING IT leads to NOTHING in return, no matter how much we crave it. 

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. (Proverbs 13:4 ESV)

So if the diligent are well supplied - how do we change our ways? Where does "diligence" come from? Two things in Scripture can help save us sluggards: The proper mindset, and the proper motivation.

The proper mindset: God created, commands, and ordains work.

In Genesis 1, God blessed the man and woman and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over" all the living things on the earth (Genesis 1:28). Zooming in on the creation of Adam & Eve, before Eve ever entered the picture, God "took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15). That's a two-fold purpose innate in our beings from creation - BEFORE THE FALL - "to work and to keep" what God has assigned to us. 

Therefore, before sin entered the world, God created, commanded, and ordained ... (here it comes) ... WORK.

A result of sin is that work is now difficult:

...in pain you shall eat of it (the fruit of your work) all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19 ESV).

Right now, we sluggards are thinking, "Duh! This is why I stare at the clouds! Because I don't like sweat, thorns, or thistles!" Thus comes the second thing Scripture tells us about work.

The proper motivation: fearing the Lord & working for the Lord

When we sluggards lack motivation for work, we try to find the reason that will make sense of why we have to work. We focus on the paycheck, the finished product, the pat on the back, the promotion, the grade ... or even fearing the consequences that may come if we don't work. These goals, and this fear even, are far too small.

Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:22-24 ESV)

FEARING THE LORD

One day, all of us will give an account of our entire lives before God. Let the weight of that sink into your soul for a minute. Yes, God even cares about how you do your work - whether it's self-employed, unemployed, stay at home mom, student, etc. - God cares.

So rather than living for an earthly paycheck, let the fear of the Lord motivate you. Work hard, knowing that Christ will both reward and judge our work one day. But does that mean we get a "heavenly paycheck?" Are we working for salvation? BY NO MEANS! (as Paul says).

WORKING FOR THE LORD

Did you catch that at the end of Colossians 3:24? Your job, your grades, your projects, your parenting, etc. is not "for" your personal well-being, a paycheck, a pat on the back, a promotion - because in your work "Your are serving the Lord Christ."

God Himself has established where you would live and what kind of work you would do and who you would work with & under. He has done this so that people would seek out & find their way to Him.

And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, (Acts 17:26-27 ESV)

Paul says in Ephesians 1 that the Holy Spirit is the promise of our inheritance in the Lord (to those who believe). Therefore, God literally is "not far from each one of us" in our workplaces because His Spirit resides in you (if you're a beleiver).

Your work - whatever field it is in - is the will of God. Glorify Him in your work and make Him known to those you work with & under. 

Many are seeking, trying to feel their way toward God - help them find Him.

If we could grasp this mindset and motivation for our work, we might actually take our heads out of the clouds and reap some fruit at the harvest. It's only in Christ that we can enjoy our labor all the days of our life ... and actually whistle while we work.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 ESV)

... whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

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