Proverbs 16:25-26 

²⁵There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

²⁶The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.

Diligence

What is it that could drive you to work diligently? You wake up early in the morning just to be at your workplace on time. You endure chilly winter just to work, why? Is it because you badly need money? Is it because you enjoy working? Is it because you just want to be more active physically and mentally? When will you stop working and just enjoy your wealth?

Together, let us reflect on what the Lord declared how mankind dwells on earth in Genesis 3:17-19, ¹⁷To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. ¹⁸It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. ¹⁹By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Did the Lord imply that we should be working until the day we returns to dust? Did the Lord imply that it signals the nearing of our death when we stop exerting much effort? Death should be the end of adventure in this temporal world. But as long as we are enthusiastic doing productive things physically and mentally, life adventure continue until we depart this world.

It is crucial in this world to have livelihood. And to engage in a career we want to explore, if we could find it should be essential. Many people are short of finances. They are forced to get jobs they don’t enjoy. Nonetheless, we must sweat to have food to eat. God declared it and won’t be thwarted.

Let’s reflect on Job 42:1-2, ¹Then Job replied to the Lord: ²“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Job had personally proven that whatever the Lord desires cannot be prevented by humans. No mankind can stop what the Lord wants to do. If God wants you to succeed in your career, no envy can stop that. If God wants us to serve him full time or part time, we cannot resist his grace.

Most often, we ignore the Lord when worldly attractions mislead us. What is it that may appear so great that cause us to disregard our calling?

1. Appearance

²⁵There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Scammers may appear to be caring about our needs. They offer things that we badly need and use them to deceive us. If we have needs in finances, scammers offer easy money. Easy money is attractive to people who are financially strapped including individuals with corrupt mind.

If you were hunting for house, realtors can sense if you’re an easy target. If you were looking to buy new car, car dealers can sense if you are a customer they can easily take advantage of. The destroyer had devised ways and schemes that appears to be right just to deceive its victim.

Observe how the tempter tried to deceive Jesus in Matthew 4:3-10,

³The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

⁵Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” ⁷Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ⁸Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

The devil is the tempter who exploits material possessions, popularity and power to deceive vulnerable people. Satan may deceive anyone even believers by quoting the Scripture. Watch out and be prayerful always.

Deceivers know how to use the Scripture to mislead victims. Like Jesus, we should know how to use the Scripture also and foil deceptions.

It declares in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Does the phrase “every good work” pertains to spiritual works only?

Have you discovered that the word of God is practically essential and relevant to every activity we may perform in this world? At workplaces, our life should testify to our faith in Christ. Let’s reflect on Colossians 3:23-24.

            ²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

When we perform with all our heart, we obey God and bring honor to him. Working for the Lord even in secular job testifies of our hope of eternal inheritance as children of God. Faith in Christ could drive diligence to work. Yet, hunger for wealth, status and power may amplify appetite to work hard.

2. Appetite

            ²⁶The appetite of laborers works for them; their hunger drives them on.

Food, shelter and clothing are basic necessities in life. These basic needs can be sustained by minimum wage in North America. Yet, everyone wants more than just minimum wage, why? Canada has extreme weather, like winter, and a good car is a necessity. And to avoid difficult circumstance like getting stuck in the snow, driving a reliable car is better decision.

We also want to be comfortable and live in better homes with better heating or cooling system. We want to be physically able to work diligently, so, we eat nutritious food. And appetite and hunger for indulging adventure had activated billion-dollar businesses, even Christians want to explore it.

Let us reflect on what King Solomon testified in Ecclesiastes 4:4.

⁴And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Is it good to be envious of the luxurious adventure of your friend? Is it good to be envious when your friend bought a brand new car? Is it good if envy drives you to work more diligently just to have higher income? But if envy drives you to have negative resentment, certainly, that is not good.

To have better basic necessities and avoid unpleasant circumstance should be acceptable. It means we want to improve and not consigned to mediocrity. Does God wants believers to have better life? Certainly, right?

Reflect on Jeremiah 29:11-14, ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.

Do accept that this passage is also applicable to you and not just to the Israelites? The Lord sent Israel into exile, and that’s difficult situation. Yet, the Lord planned was to prosper them even in difficult situation.

What difficult situation do you have? Do you expect that the Lord planned for you to prosper also? Pray to be filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation and you will find out what God has prepared for you.

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