Because You Probably Won’t Be Fed By Ravens…

There is one verse of scripture that I wish had been deeply ingrained in me before we moved to our present community nearly 35 years ago. The verse is Proverbs 24:27

Do your planning and prepare your fields
before building your house. NLT

Don’t build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living. GNT

The Voice Bible extrapolates another aspect of this principle:

Complete your work outside, and get your fields ready for next season; after that’s done, build your house.

We made our move “on faith” with some of the building blocks in place for a plan of what we were going to do, but not all the foundation clearly laid.

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to interact with people who are in their junior or senior year of college. The first question is always, “What are you studying?” or “What is your major?” The second question is always, “What are you planning for after graduation?” The results are often similar:

Where they want to live	Mostly certain
Who they want to marry	Somewhat certain
What they plan to work at	Mostly uncertain

Mostly without exception there is great hope and faith that the job is going to simply appear. That’s just not always the case.

A few years ago, I was in a discussion with someone about the differences between the Protestant (Exodus 20) Ten Commandments and the version taught in the Roman Catholic Catechism which drops the second (statuary; graven images) and splits the last (coveting) into to separate entities.

The point was made that you can make an argument for fourteen commandments. Certainly one of the extra ones that they are counting, in verse 9, is what the KJV renders as:

Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work

Granted, many translations render this as ‘you have six days to work’ but it’s easy to see it as what God considers the normative lifestyle if not a direct commandment.

The point is that the Bible writers teach a philosophy of work, a work ethic for the follower of God. Colossians 3:23-25 teaches us that all work needs to be seen as work as unto the Lord.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Another translation says to “work heartily” (ESV).

Ephesians 6:7-8 reiterates this:

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

A verse in 2 Thessalonians (3:10) is more hardline however:

If a man will not work, he shall not eat.

Sociologist Max Weber wrote the book pictured at right in 1904 which looked at two different approaches to work, especially highlighting the Puritan or Calvinist ethic. Wikipedia notes the nuances of this:

It is common for those in a Protestant work culture to skip lunch (traditionally being sustained from a large breakfast) or to eat lunch while doing their job. This is in contrast to Catholic cultures which practice siesta at lunch time, and neo-Confucianist cultures such as China, Korea and Japan which have a one- or two-hour lunch break.

Without debating the philosophy of lunch breaks, it’s clear that for Weber, the work ethic foundation to a capitalist society was based in an interpretation of scripture.

…Well, we’ve digressed a long way from where we started. My point today is that we remember that before we can build our houses (both figuratively or even literally) we have to know where our next dollar (or pound, or peso, or rand) is coming from. We can’t put the cart before the horse and make a move, commit to someone in marriage, or buy a house without knowing how we are going to pay for the necessities of life.

Yes, there are times people strike out in faith. The Psalmist said he had “never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25) and in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that if we “seek first the Kingdom of God” all these things [in context: food and clothing] would be given us. And yes, Elijah was fed by ravens.

However, most of us will not be fed by ravens.

Whether you want to see it as a consequence (or curse) of the fall of man, or as a blessing that we get to co-partner with God in subduing the earth, the general principle of scripture is that we are to work in order to have food, shelter, medicine, security, clothing and transportation.

 

Best Advice for Graduates

There is one verse of scripture that I wish had been deeply ingrained in me before we moved to our present community nearly 30 years ago. Since that time, I’ve shared it with many people but was surprised that it’s never been covered here. The verse is Proverbs 24:27

Do your planning and prepare your fields
    before building your house.  NLT

Don’t build your house and establish a home until your fields are ready, and you are sure that you can earn a living.  GNT

The Voice Bible extrapolates another aspect of this principle:

 Complete your work outside, and get your fields ready for next season; after that’s done, build your house.

We made our move “on faith” with some of the building blocks in place for a plan of what we were going to do, but not all the foundation clearly laid.

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to interact with people who are in their junior or senior year of college. The first question is always, “What are you studying?” or “What is your major?” The second question is always, “What are you planning for after graduation?” The results are often similar:

Where they want to live	Mostly certain
Who they want to marry	Somewhat certain
What they plan to work at	Mostly uncertain

Mostly without exception there is great hope and faith that the job is going to simply appear. That’s just not always the case.

A few weeks ago, I was in a discussion with someone about the differences between the Protestant (Exodus 20) Ten Commandments and the version taught in the Roman Catholic Catechism which drops the second (statuary; graven images) and splits the last (coveting) into to separate entities.

The point was made that you can make an argument for fourteen commandments. Certainly one that they are counting, in verse 9, is what the KJV renders as:

Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work

Granted, many translations render this as ‘you have six days to work’ but it’s easy to see it as what God considers the normative lifestyle if not a direct commandment.

The point is that the Bible writers teach a philosophy of work, a work ethic for the follower of God. Colossians 3:23-25 teaches us that all work needs to be seen as work as unto the Lord.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Another translation says to “work heartily” (ESV).

Ephesians 6:7-8 reiterates this:

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

A verse in 2 Thessalonians (3:10) is more hardline however:

If a man will not work, he shall not eat.

Sociologist Max Weber wrote the book pictured at right in 1904 which looked at two different approaches to work, especially highlighting the Puritan or Calvinist ethic. Wikipedia notes the nuances of this:

It is common for those in a Protestant work culture to skip lunch (traditionally being sustained from a large breakfast) or to eat lunch while doing their job. This is in contrast to Catholic cultures which practice siesta at lunch time, and neo-Confucianist cultures such as China, Korea and Japan which have a one- or two-hour lunch break.

Without debating the philosophy of lunch breaks, it’s clear that for Weber, the work ethic foundation to a capitalist society was based in an interpretation of scripture.

…Well, we’ve digressed a long way from where we started. My point today is that we remember that before we can build our houses (both figuratively or even literally) we have to know where our next dollar (or pound, or peso, or rand) is coming from. We can’t put the cart before the horse and make a move, commit to someone in marriage, or buy a house without knowing how we are going to pay for the necessities of life.

Yes, there are times people strike out in faith. The Psalmist said he had “never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25) and in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that if we “seek first the Kingdom of God” all these things [in context: food and clothing] would be given us. And yes, Elijah was fed by ravens.

However, most of us will not be fed by ravens.

Whether you want to see it as a consequence (or curse) of the fall of man, or as a blessing that we get to co-partner with God in subduing the earth, the general principle of scripture is that we are to work in order to have food, shelter, medicine, security, clothing and transportation.

Scripture Demands the Highest Work Ethic

A year ago we introduced you to David Brumbelow, who blogs at West Coast Pastor.  This article appeared back in April; click the title to read at source.

The Christian Work Ethic

I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man. -Proverbs 24:30-34

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. -Exodus 20:8-9

A man had trouble sleeping. He told his doctor, “I sleep fine at night, and I sleep pretty well in the morning. But in the afternoon I just toss and turn.”

Perhaps we should all go back and read the Little Golden Book about The Little Red Hen.

Some responsibilities are yours alone. Some struggles you are going to have to deal with. Work hard; provide for your family; serve the Lord; give to church and to others. Also get some rest and fun along the way. Make this world a little better, because you were here.

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. -2 Thessalonians 3:10-11

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. -1 Timothy 5:8

See also: Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Proverbs 10:4; 12:24, 27; 13:4; 21:5; 23:21; 27:23; John 9:4; 1 Corinthians 9:7; 10:31; 1 Timothy 5:18.

The Message Bible restates the text:

One day I walked by the field of an old lazybones,
and then passed the vineyard of a lout;
They were overgrown with weeds,
thick with thistles, all the fences broken down.
I took a long look and pondered what I saw;
the fields preached me a sermon and I listened:
“A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there,
sit back, take it easy-do you know what comes next?
Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life,
with poverty as your permanent houseguest!” MSG

At the blog of Palmerston Evangelical Missionary Church, Canadian Pastor Phil DesJardine writes the following. Click the title to read the article in full.

Proverbs 22-24: Eyes to see

…Proverbs 24:30-34 talks about a situation where the field of a slacker is observed by a passer by, a field overgrown with thorns and weeds, a vineyard with a broken wall destined to produce a poor crop.As a side note, the broken wall was significant because crops had to be protected from wandering vagabonds as well as wandering and wild livestock. It would be terrible for a vineyard to be picked over by a herd of deranged sheep on the lamb.  HA! (yes, I know how bad that was).

Then the author says this: “I SAW and took it to heart”

He had eyes to see. He perceived the state of the slackers field, he saw the connection between the state of the field and the lack of motivation by the owner, and he took that information into his heart and mind as informative about life and how to live it. He had eyes to see.

So many in life lack that ability to see situations in life and learn from them or hear words of correction and actually pay heed to them (the Proverbs has lots to say about the wise listening to correction, but the fool ignoring it).

Let me encourage you, make asking the Holy Spirit to give you eyes to see and ears to hear part of your prayer life. It is part of allowing the Spirit to speak, guide and correct us. You won’t be sorry!

Happy reading

• What was familiar from this passage of scripture?  What was something I already knew?
• What was new from this piece of scripture? What was something that really stood out for me that I have never paid attention to before?
• Does Jesus appear in this passage of scripture?
• How does this passage apply to my life, here and now?  Do I need to do anything about it?
• What prayer would I offer up to God after reading this piece of scripture?