Week of February 8th – Work Hard and Live Smart!

Key Thought:
The Bible is clear that Christians are expected to be hard workers. In fact based on your Christ-like ethics, your servant’s attitude and your work ethic you should be one of the most valued employees of your organization. Is that true of you? In this week’s sermon I focused on the importance of being a hard worker. Laziness and choosing not to take care of your family are not options for us and we should expect to be called out by our friends if we ever lapse into irresponsible living.

Yet, the reason that most people in America struggle with financial problems isn’t because they’re not hard workers, it’s because they don’t live smart. How much money have you grossed since 2000? It wouldn’t be unusual for you to answer somewhere between $400,000 and $1 Million. We all understand that living in the U.S. is expensive, but I don’t think that any of us can feel comfortable saying that God hasn’t already provided more than what we need. So, if you’re struggling to pay bills, maybe the answer isn’t that God needs to provide more, but that you need to live on less.

Tammy and I have made cuts in order to live by our budget. Some friends of mine told me that they have cut out cable TV and other luxuries as they seek to balance their budget. The church made cuts over the past year to get the budget balanced and so have many of the businesses and municipalities all around us. Living smart means that we live within our means. This is God’s will for your life.

Bible Reading:
Monday – Proverbs 10:4
Tuesday – 1 Timothy 5:8
Wednesday – Ephesians 4:28
Thursday – Luke 14:28-30
Friday – Proverbs 6:6-11

Questions to Ponder During the Week:

1. What kind of work ethic did you learn as a child/youth? Who taught you what it meant to work?
2. How much tolerance do you have for people who appear to be lazy? Is it OK to be angry with people who seem to be perpetually dependent on others for their needs?
3. What kind of work ethic did Jesus have? As a hard worker why doesn’t Jesus ever seem to be rich?
4. Is wealth a sign of hard work? Should Christians aspire for wealth?
5. What might be the good and bad excuses for a Christian in the U.S. who is struggling to pay their bills?