Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Work as a Blessing and a Curse

Jim:

Proverbs 6:1-19
One of Aesop’s fables tells the story of the ant and the grasshopper (you may be more familiar with the Walt Disney cartoon version of this tale). In the story the grasshopper literally fiddles away the summer while the industrious ant stores up food for the winter. When the weather turns cold the grasshopper has nothing to fall back on, but the ant is well-supplied and able to survive. Proverbs 6:6-11 tells a similar story, though in this case the contrast is between the ant and a lazybones who sleeps when he should be at work. “You are never more than one step from poverty,” the proverb seems to indicate. Much has been made over the centuries of the “Protestant work ethic,” or the great value that some place on hard work and determination. But there is a point at which even work can become a problem for the Christian. When we place too much importance on work it can become an idol, something that stands between ourselves and God’s will in our lives. The story of the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 comes to mind. After a bumper harvest this man builds bigger barns and prepares for a life of ease. But that very night he died. “So it is,” Jesus said, “with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” There has to be a balance between our hard work and our willingness to do God’s will in our lives. I believe this is ultimately what the writer of Proverbs would want us to hear.

If you are feeling nostalgic you may watch the Disney version of Aesop's fable below.

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