«He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame» (Proverbs 10:5).
WORK
He had finally obtained financial freedom. His hard work, the enthusiasm he brought to his projects and a constant desire to improve had paid off. Now he was a very rich man. He liked watching his barns filled with his harvest. With a smile on his face he realized he had reached all his goals and congratulated himself for it. Suddenly, he came up with an idea, «What would happen if you doubled production?» His eyes looked like two coat buttons as his head spun round and round. Could he do it? Of course he could! Immediately, he began to devise a new project to finance new barns and double production. As if that weren’t enough, he prepared a retirement plan to enjoy its income in old age (Luke 12:16-19). What a way to organize work life!
The parable of the rich fool describes a man that’s excited about work, full of vision, who’s entrepreneurial and thrifty. Do you know someone with those qualities? It’s hard for them not to be successful! However, the Bible presents him as a bad example. It can’t be! Does he lack anything? The Biblical narrative states that when the man was in the prime of his working life, one night God appeared to him and said, «You fool! This night your soul will be required of you, then whose will those things be which you have provided?» (Luke 12:20).
Is it bad to work with enthusiasm and give the best of yourself in the workplace? Of course not. A successful work life is part of God’s plan for His children. What was the man’s mistake? His problem was not in working, but rather on the motivation that drove him. That’s why Jesus gives the following warning, «Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions» (Luke 12:15, NIV). Human beings are not valuable for what they have, but rather for what they are.
The rich fool lacks the basic element of work life balance: faith in God. Success can be dangerous, even for believers. Those who are successful tend to feel self-sufficient and powerful, so they may fall into consumerism and materialism. It has happened in many societies that have become industrialized: secularism has come with financial prosperity.
Ask the Lord today to help you acquire the right work philosophy so that you may live and prosper in this world for the honor and glory of His name.
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Take From: Daily Devotions for Youth 2020
«A New You»
From: Alejandro Medina Villareal
Collaborators: Gezer Noria & Misael Morillo
