Lazy people are not successful people. Our students who don’t work to produce good assessments are sent away with no certificates or diplomas. We don’t keep the teachers, trainers or lecturers who don’t put in any effort to manage the tasks asked of them. A poor tradesman is reported on the local neighbourhood app and their business suffers.
Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich. A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace (Prov. 10:4-5 TLB).
The Bible is full of reminders to be diligent like the ant and to have your lamp trimmed and be ready, to be a good workman, to hear that we had done well because we were a good and faithful servant and to be a labourer worthy of our hire. That’s all very well and we nod our heads in agreement.
But then we have Jesus telling us how we should react to the lazy and ungrateful by blessing them! Rather than giving a wide berth to someone who we know uses people, we are asked to be gracious to them and give expecting nothing in return:
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil (bad, wicked, malicious, slothful) (Luke 6:35 with Strongs usage).
This startles me until I think about it. Why should I bless a person who isn’t at least thankful? Why should I pretend that I’m not aware that they are using and even abusing me? It just doesn’t seem fair.
But then I think ---have I ever been unthankful to someone when they have done something for me? Am I guilty of using a willing person? Have I ever pretended to be busy rather than do an unpleasant task, leaving it to others to do? I’m starting to feel uncomfortable.
Then I think about God. Have I ever been dismissive of His blessings to me? Have I just been plain lazy and not bothered to read my Bible and pray? I’m starting to want some fig leaves to cover my guilt.
But I remember - God has been abundantly kind to me. He has forgiven me my many sins and called me righteous. I don’t need fig leaves or anything else to make me look better in His eyes because I am covered with the blood of Jesus.
Yes, I’ve been lazy and ungrateful and God has continued to be kind to me. That’s why I will bless those in my life who are lazy and ungrateful and every time I do I will remember that God is blessing me now, and for eternity.
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