January 18

Jan 18 - Today from Proverbs 18 we look at verse 9

"One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys."

On first read, the mind tends to think of occupation (which is applicable). But I would like to venture down another path. Much of our labors in this life consist of maintenance. If you are any kind of property owner, you have to spend time, energy and resources to properly maintain your property.
We live in a fallen creation whereby the second law of thermal dynamics has placed us in a constant battle with corruption. I don't have any resource books at hand to look up the technical wording of the law, but in the simplest terms, as I remember, it states that everything is in constant process of breaking down to its most base elements. This is why cars and bicycles rust (corruption). This is why wood rots (corruption). This is why paint fades and peels (corruption). Even 'environmental unfriendly' plastics and styrofoams will eventually break down - it just takes a very long time. When things are new, there are certain precautions we can take to delay the process of corruption. We can get our new car 'rust proofed' with a protective undercoating to keep salt away from the metal. We can keep our new car in a garage, protecting it from the other elements that expedite corruption. We can get floor mats (and sometimes seat covers), to protect the upholstery from excessive wear. Then we have to pull maintenance on the car to extend its limited life. We get it lubed and get the oil changed. We get it washed, and periodically get a protective coat of wax on it. We keep the tires properly inflated (under-inflation causes excessive wear - corruption). As the car ages we replace worn (corrupted), belts and hoses, worn tires, and other parts that cease to function as intended. This is all work. "One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys." We would be appalled if someone approached our new car, tore off a fender or two, slashed the tires, dumped sand in the crankcase, and tore out the carpeting. That would be one who destroys - easily identifiable. But if a person bought that car and never pulled any preventative maintenance, that car would look good and function properly for only a fraction of the time it was intended to last. For all practical purposes, that person 'destroyed' the car simply because he was 'slack in his work' in conducting proper maintenance. Oft times these types are a little harder to identify - especially when it is ourselves.
This isn't a lesson on car maintenance - we just used that as an analogy that can be applied to relationships. That's right - relationships take work. Our human nature has also been corrupted - by sin. And the root of sin is pride - 'me first'. The 'natural' base element of the fallen nature is 'my way'. When two or more people enter into a relationship, the 'natural' tendencies of the elements of that relationship are to break down to 'my way'. A destroyer is pro-active. Their demand is "My way or the by-way!" Potential long-term relationships are quickly destroyed by their demands
But there is a much more subtle way of destroying a relationship, and that is by the way of the 'corruption' of inactivity. Don't work on preventative maintenance. Let the small things go. Ignore the places where the relationship is worn thin. Stop listening to the other. Don't bother to work on understanding the other. Stop working on looking for the best in the other. Stop working on encouraging and nurturing the other. Yes, maintenance in a relationship is all work - but it's much more worth the effort than changing the oil and waxing your new car. When you work on a relationship, there are wonderful dividends. YOU are growing in character, and becoming more like the One who redeemed you - who never experienced corruption of the soul. Jesus, who is the express image of the Father, never yielded to the 'me-first' attitude when considering a relationship with you. He put you first. He died in your place, so that you COULD have a relationship with Him. We don't have to say to Him, "It's my way or the by-way" in order to destroy our relationship with Him. All we have to do is stop working on that relationship and it will gradually become so corrupted that it is no longer functional. He still puts us first in His relationship with us (His mercies are new every morning). That relationship reaches its fullest potential when we reciprocate by putting Him first by 'dying to self', and to living for Him. Yes, it's all work - but there are wonderful dividends. Have you considered having the Eternal Creator and Sovereign King as your friend? As One who desires to have a relationship with you? It's ALMOST incomprehensible - except He tells us it is true. And He NEVER lies.