January 12

Jan 12 - Today from Proverbs 12 we look at verse 24

"Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor."

We must begin with a thought of clarification. There are two points of focus in this proverb. There is ETHIC (system of moral principles and values), and there is MOTIVATION (an incentive to action). For those seeking wisdom, I believe the focus is always to be the ethic. When one's focus is ethics, the motivation is to live a life worthy of Jesus Christ and pleasing to Him (Col. 1:10).
For those who are following the way of folly, I believe the focus would be motivation. This kind of person is obviously not interested in a relationship with Christ as by definition they are more interested in living a life pleasing to themselves. I can't imagine that anyone in this world would find it pleasing to end up in slave labor.
Let’s review a very important principle in Bible study: A person seeking to grow in wisdom, to live a life pleasing to the Lord, will always seek the ethic in any instruction of the Lord. The ethic in this proverb is 'diligent hands'. It's a work ethic. To 'rule' is to be viewed as a general result, but not the motivation. Any time a disciple of the Lord begins to focus on results as a motivator, he is in a dangerous position of trying to manipulate God. In Matthew chapter 4, Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Satan himself tried to get Jesus to shift His focus to results when using a scripture with a promise (verse 6). But Jesus refused to alter His focus when He answered with a scripture that taught ethic, "Do not put your Lord God to the test". In today’s proverb, the principle for a disciple of God’s Word is to develop a good work ethic. This is pleasing to the Lord. "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 1:31). If you approve bank loans, do it for the glory of God. If you enter computer data, do it for the glory of God. If you are a CEO of a large corporation, do it for the glory of God. If you mow lawns, do it for the glory of God. If you are at home raising your children, do it for the glory of God. Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. Let that be your motivation.
If God rewards you to 'rule' in some area, give Him glory. But let that be a result, not a motivation.
On the other hand, negative results can also be a good motivator. People who end up in slave labor tend to either become motivated to get free, or they become hopeless and bitter. Do we still have slavery in our culture today? Yes, we do. Not in the same sense as we did before the emancipation 150 years ago, but people are still enslaved non-the-less. They are usually lazy, undisciplined people who tend to chase fantasies (verse 11) rather than to develop a good work ethic. Some become enslaved to loan companies (government loans, credit card companies, etc.). These people now work to pay off huge sums of interest rather than securing the future for themselves and their children. They are enslaved. Or there are the socially enslaved who live off government support programs. These are the people who can become hopeless and bitter if they are not motivated to get out and develop a work ethic. They cover their hopelessness with an attitude. They are enslaved to a hideous system that robs them of dignity and reduces them to a statistic. Either of these 'slave-types' can be overcome if they are motivated to develop a strong work ethic.
As disciples of Christ we can see at least two practical lessons here: 1. Commit to develop a good work ethic. No matter what we are doing, we can do it for the glory of God. 2. We can seek to encourage those who are financially or socially 'enslaved' to seek hope in the development of a sound work ethic and help restore their hope and dignity.
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” –1 Thes. 4:11,12.