Are You the Sloth or the Ant?

Scripture:
Proverbs 6:6-11
Ephesians 3:20-21

There is nothing better than a lazy Sunday afternoon, especially when the sun is out and the temperature is just right and with no clouds in the sky.  Last weekend after church we pack lunch and headed to the park for a few hours.  We grilled hamburgers and enjoyed the time with the kids.  We all need time to rest, reflect, and to just get away.  However we run into danger when we let recreation take precedence of our lives.   I groan at some of the projects I have to do around the house.  I would rather just play around with the kids or go places with the family.  However, if I do not work on the projects the house will fall apart.  Well maybe not literally but it will quickly get into a state of disrepair.

God did not intend for us to just sit around and do nothing.  He expects us to work.  In Genesis God tells Adam and Eve to take care of the garden.  Genesis 2:15 “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”  Jesus tells us that anything we ask for in His name we will receive.  He doesn’t expect us to just sit around in our rocking chairs waiting for Him to hand it to us on a silver platter.  We must do our part.  We must be willing to work and fulfill the tasks He sets before us.  After all if we are the hands and feet of the Body of Christ we cannot just sit around.  If we do none of God’s work will get done.  We can say no to God but we will not be happy with the results.  Look at Jonah.  He said no and tried to run.  He ended up in the belly of a whale or large fish.  In the end he did what God wanted in the first place.

Have no fear if you do not do the task God asks you to do someone else will do it for you.  You probably will not like the end results and will miss a blessing.  God intended for us to work.  God compares working diligently to an ant and a sluggard, a slothful person.  A sloth is an animal that lives within one tree all its life.  The sloth hardly ever moves and then very slowly.  Are you the sloth or the ant?  The ant is considered wise in its work.  The sloth will find poverty knocking on its door…