God’s people are to be hardworking/industrious – The wise man wrote, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Because of the uncertain nature of life, he later spoke of the need work “in the morning” and “not be idle in the evening” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). The apostle Paul said that Christians are to “work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (Colossians 3:23). Even those without an employer – such as housewives – were to be known for their hard work (1 Timothy 5:13-14).
We are also to make time for what is important – We are not to “[forsake] our own assembling together, as is the habit of some” (Hebrews 10:25). We are to make time for Bible study (2 Timothy 2:15) and prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We also have responsibilities as spouses, parents, and children that require our time (Ephesians 5:22-6:4).
If we are too busy, we can fail to make time for God or spiritual things – In the parable of the sower, Jesus warned that the “worries and riches and pleasures of this life” can choke out the word and leave one unfruitful (Luke 8:14). He later described a rich land owner who lost his soul because he was too busy with earthly labors to focus on spiritual things (Luke 12:16-21). Felix listened to Paul’s preaching but dismissed him until he could “find time” to consider it further (Acts 24:25). We need to make the most of our time, but being too busy to think about spiritual things is not a wise use of it.
The above post is an excerpt from the book, Social Issues: Learning about and Dealing with the Problems of the Present Age by Andy Sochor. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).