Working Hard or Hardly Working?

[Chad]

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.
Colossians 3:23


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[TD]Recommended ReadingProverbs 31:13-27[/TD]
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You may have heard this expression: "I'd rather burn out than rust out." Lots of missionaries and full-time Christian workers have that perspective, and it is commendable. They see the Christian life as a full-time, lifelong calling to serve their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Even if they retire from vocational ministry, they want to take their last breath with their hands on the plow and their boots on the ground.

Both "burning out" and "rusting out" are extreme choices, and balance is usually found in the middle. But in this day of entitlements and benefits, perhaps a commitment to industry and hard work deserves a second look -- from a spiritual point of view. There are plenty of examples of hard work in Scripture -- especially in the apostolic period when persecution was abundant and resources were scarce. In the Old Testament, the proverbial "Proverbs 31 Woman" is the classic example of using God-given talents and resources to the maximum level, benefitting all around.

Where do you fall on the "burn out/rust out" scale? Is your whole life lived "heartily, as to the Lord"?

In an effort to get the work of the Lord done, we often lose contact with the Lord of the work.
A. W. Tozer

Read-thru-the-Bible
Jonah 1:1 -- Micah 3:12