October 24

Oct 24 - Today from Proverbs 24 we look at verses 33 & 34
"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man."

This passage must be taken in context with verses 30-32 where the Teacher shares an experience where he passed by a field and vineyard belonging to someone who failed to properly care for them. They were overgrown with choking weeds and the protective stone wall that surrounded them was broken down and in disrepair. The Teacher did not simply shrug and walk on. He contemplated as to just how this potentially fruitful enterprise ended up in such a state. What a shame to have something with such great potential in one's possession, and then see it lie in an unproductive state! "Why?" he asks himself.
Today's passage is the conclusion of his pondering. It primarily has to do with two commitments to the land; vigilance and diligence. The Teacher is not forbidding proper rest, he is warning against resting at improper times. The passage could easily read, "A little more sleep, a little more slumber, a little more folding of the hands to rest. . ." Brought into today's culture, it could read, "A little more TV, a little more shopping, a little more golfing . . ." name your own little more.
Just as there are two commitments at hand, there are also two applications. We have been given stewardship of our time, our talents and our material possessions. We are to be vigilant that we do not allow laziness and procrastination to overcome and rend them fruitless. How fruitful is four hours in front of the TV set? Is that the best use of our time? We have become a society that 'channel surfs', looking for at least the best of the worst. If we were disciplined to watch something on TV that might be decent or beneficial, then why do we need to channel surf? If we have been given spiritual gifts (and every believer has), are we diligent in developing and utilizing them in a manner that brings honor to God? Or do we merely intend to attend that task when there is nothing better to do? How about our material possessions? Do we seek to invest our treasure where there will be a return for God's Kingdom? Or do we seek more to spend our treasure for pleasure and convenience? Tough questions. Questions that deeply convict me. What am I going to do about it today?
The second application is closely related. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:9, "For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building." The we Paul refers to is the equippers; the apostles, pastors and teachers. The you Paul refers to is the members of the local body, in this case, the church at Corinth. God has greatly invested in the field of His Church, and He invested in order to see a fruitful harvest. In the same breath, Paul also uses the analogy of a building in order to bring out another facet of his illustration. The analogy of the field cannot properly be used to show how God will judge the church's vigilance and diligence in use of her time, talent and treasures. With the building he can. The building will be tested by fire (judgment of the saints), and everything that is not genuine will be burned up. All the hours of TV watching, of shopping, of playing golf, . . .whatever. If it was not of God and was not genuine of the faith, it will be removed. Only what is of God will remain. This is not a message of salvation or damnation - Paul is writing to the blood-bought church. It is a message of what will we take with us into eternity when we pass over; our character. Everything else will have been sent ahead as we followed God's lead. An equipper recently gave our church a profound thought to as we sat under the teaching of God's Word. It was this:
"What you do here will count when you get there."
You are God's field. He has provided everything you need to be fruitful. What a shame to have something with such great potential in one's possession, and then see it lie in an unproductive state. The choice is yours.