Lesson 10 - Hard Work versus Laziness
Do you feel like you're a hard worker? I think most Americans do. We feel that we've got a "strong work ethic" and we "stand on our own two feet." And yet, we lead such soft, comfortable lives. So many of the chores that our parents and grandparents had to do on a daily basis are now handled for us by other means. There's certainly not many of us getting up to milk the cows or gather the eggs; wash our clothes using a scrub board or fixing fried chicken from a chicken that we've just wrung the neck and plucked the feathers from!
So what does it mean in America in 2016 not to be lazy? How did you answer the question on p.102 regarding a modern parallel of the man who does not plow in the mud and the cold? Farmers have to plow when the time is right, no matter if the external circumstances are pleasant or not. You look at your skill, you analyze the need, and you do what needs to be done. You don't quit just because you don't "feel like" staying at it. I remember my Daddy telling me that an important part of growing up is doing what you don't necessarily want to do. To me, that is what it means not to be lazy. You get up and do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. And so many of us have become undisciplined and do only what we like to do...so I guess you can be busy and still be lazy. Busy doing things that you are choosing to do over the lesser enticing things that need to be done. Ouch!
Did you read the Scriptures shown on the right margin on page 103? They were examples of excuses given for not doing what God was asking..."I'm not able", "I'm not the best one", "I'm too weak...too young...", "I'm not a good speaker", "I don't have the confidence", "There's something else going on that I need to do instead"...on and on and on the list can go. But what the boil down to is..."I don't want to!" For one reason or the other, we allow our desire, or lack thereof, to keep us in our seats rather than pushing ourselves up and out into the lives that God is calling us to. That is spiritual laziness. When the opportunity is there and God prompts us, we must get up and do whatever it is that He is asking us to do when He asks us. Over and above what we might opt for. Lord, don't let me be a sluggard in physical life, but even more than that, don't let me be lazy when You ask me to work for Your kingdom!
Lesson Eleven ~ Proper Speech
Oh man! This is the lesson that gets me every time. I've always been a talker, and I guess I always will be. But more and more I am aware that so many things that come out of my mouth are either needless, or worse, not words of virtue. Anything that is not kind, not constructive, not helpful, not moral...I need to stop before saying. I need "words aptly spoken" to become my speech pattern!
Solomon tells us that a "word aptly spoken" is like apples of gold in settings of silver....pleasing to the hearer and presented as a gift! Destructive words or healing words...which do we choose to present to those around us? Destructive words pierce, stir up wrath and break the spirit while healing words bring with them wisdom, turn away anger and bring life. We can encourage others and ease their anxiety, bring cheer in dark times.
Lying, gossip and flattery...all destructive words. Whoa --- flattery? Yes, when you realize that the true definition of flattery is "smooth talk that deceives". When someone is overly complimentary to us, our red flags should go up. There is nothing wrong with a well-deserved compliment, but we should be able to tell when we're being "schmoozed"! Flattery can puff us up and let us fall into pridefulness quickly. This can make us less mindful of what the other person is really up to. And, of course, we should never be guilty of using flattery to manipulate others.
Going through the self-checklist on Page 115, I had to admit that there are areas that I need to ask God's help in eliminating in my speech. This is an area that we should routinely self-examine...it is so easy to fall back into bad habits. Lord, let my mouth truly reflect my heart...and let my heart be pure and turned to You. Guard each word that comes out of my mouth. Let me truly take every thought captive to Christ, and let every word spoken have gone through that filter so that I promote nothing other than the fruits of Your Spirit living within me...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! Discipline my mouth, oh Lord!
Do you feel like you're a hard worker? I think most Americans do. We feel that we've got a "strong work ethic" and we "stand on our own two feet." And yet, we lead such soft, comfortable lives. So many of the chores that our parents and grandparents had to do on a daily basis are now handled for us by other means. There's certainly not many of us getting up to milk the cows or gather the eggs; wash our clothes using a scrub board or fixing fried chicken from a chicken that we've just wrung the neck and plucked the feathers from!
So what does it mean in America in 2016 not to be lazy? How did you answer the question on p.102 regarding a modern parallel of the man who does not plow in the mud and the cold? Farmers have to plow when the time is right, no matter if the external circumstances are pleasant or not. You look at your skill, you analyze the need, and you do what needs to be done. You don't quit just because you don't "feel like" staying at it. I remember my Daddy telling me that an important part of growing up is doing what you don't necessarily want to do. To me, that is what it means not to be lazy. You get up and do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. And so many of us have become undisciplined and do only what we like to do...so I guess you can be busy and still be lazy. Busy doing things that you are choosing to do over the lesser enticing things that need to be done. Ouch!
Did you read the Scriptures shown on the right margin on page 103? They were examples of excuses given for not doing what God was asking..."I'm not able", "I'm not the best one", "I'm too weak...too young...", "I'm not a good speaker", "I don't have the confidence", "There's something else going on that I need to do instead"...on and on and on the list can go. But what the boil down to is..."I don't want to!" For one reason or the other, we allow our desire, or lack thereof, to keep us in our seats rather than pushing ourselves up and out into the lives that God is calling us to. That is spiritual laziness. When the opportunity is there and God prompts us, we must get up and do whatever it is that He is asking us to do when He asks us. Over and above what we might opt for. Lord, don't let me be a sluggard in physical life, but even more than that, don't let me be lazy when You ask me to work for Your kingdom!
Lesson Eleven ~ Proper Speech
Oh man! This is the lesson that gets me every time. I've always been a talker, and I guess I always will be. But more and more I am aware that so many things that come out of my mouth are either needless, or worse, not words of virtue. Anything that is not kind, not constructive, not helpful, not moral...I need to stop before saying. I need "words aptly spoken" to become my speech pattern!
Solomon tells us that a "word aptly spoken" is like apples of gold in settings of silver....pleasing to the hearer and presented as a gift! Destructive words or healing words...which do we choose to present to those around us? Destructive words pierce, stir up wrath and break the spirit while healing words bring with them wisdom, turn away anger and bring life. We can encourage others and ease their anxiety, bring cheer in dark times.
Lying, gossip and flattery...all destructive words. Whoa --- flattery? Yes, when you realize that the true definition of flattery is "smooth talk that deceives". When someone is overly complimentary to us, our red flags should go up. There is nothing wrong with a well-deserved compliment, but we should be able to tell when we're being "schmoozed"! Flattery can puff us up and let us fall into pridefulness quickly. This can make us less mindful of what the other person is really up to. And, of course, we should never be guilty of using flattery to manipulate others.
Going through the self-checklist on Page 115, I had to admit that there are areas that I need to ask God's help in eliminating in my speech. This is an area that we should routinely self-examine...it is so easy to fall back into bad habits. Lord, let my mouth truly reflect my heart...and let my heart be pure and turned to You. Guard each word that comes out of my mouth. Let me truly take every thought captive to Christ, and let every word spoken have gone through that filter so that I promote nothing other than the fruits of Your Spirit living within me...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control! Discipline my mouth, oh Lord!
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