Monday, August 16, 2010

Teach Them to Work

Let's face it, getting children to work can be in itself, work. Children aren't born with a desire to do chores, they're born with a desire to eat s'mores! (Ok, bad attempt at humor.)

Seriously though, God has given children what they need to overcome their propensity to avoid hard work, they're called Mom and Dad.

As parents, one of the many virtues and attributes God has called us to pass along to our children is a good work ethic. A good work ethic will help your children immensely as they grow into adulthood. Few things are more repulsive than lazy adults.

The word of God has much to say about work. It calls us to work diligently, to work hard, to work smart, to work a lot, to work honestly, to work well with others, to work as unto the LORD, are you seeing the picture? A lazy person does none of these. In fact, when God created Adam, He gave him a job before He gave him a wife.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. -Genesis 2:15

therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. -Genesis 3:23

The word of God also has much to say about being lazy, for instance:
  • Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. -Proverbs 10:4
  • The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions. -Proverbs 12:27
  • The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. -Proverbs 26:15
  • If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks. -Ecclesiastes 10:18
  • We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. -Hebrews 6:12
These are just a sample of how God feels about lazy people, so please, do not allow your children (or yourself) to fall into this category. It paints an extremely poor picture of the God you represent. The LORD has called us to work six days and rest one; the culture has called us to rest six and perhaps, if necessary, work one.

We serve a mighty God, and one who worked to create the world we live in,

And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. -Genesis 2:2

so let us be found faithful in completing the tasks He has called us to. Our children must know the sinfulness of being lazy, the Godliness of being a good worker, and see Mom and Dad practicing what they preach!

~Strength and Honor~