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Bible Studies for Life Lesson for July 31: Earn Money Productively
Emily Anthony, member, Imago Dei Church, Raleigh
July 12, 2016
2 MIN READ TIME

Bible Studies for Life Lesson for July 31: Earn Money Productively

Bible Studies for Life Lesson for July 31: Earn Money Productively
Emily Anthony, member, Imago Dei Church, Raleigh
July 12, 2016

Focal passage: Proverbs 6:6-11

Work isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary.

It was a hot summer day, and I had decided to splurge for ice cream. As I approached the drive thru window to pay for my treat, the young man behind the glass observed me open my wallet and contemplate my options.

Should I hand him cash or card? I quickly chose cash and passed him my $5 bill, but he immediately voiced his disappointment. “Couldn’t you have given me the card?” he asked. “Counting change is too much work.”

After a few laughs, we struck up a conversation, and I learned my cashier was finishing high school and had grand dreams of becoming a millionaire. Subtracting pennies was not the life he wanted. Forget working – this kid had no plans for a job. He simply wanted to be rich.
As I drove away, I was irritated by the young man’s mindset.

How could he possibly become rich if he wasn’t willing to count change? And yet, the Lord gently convicted me of own selfish tendency toward laziness. I have never dreamed of becoming a millionaire, but there are definite times I would prefer to stay in my pajamas rather than head to work.

According to Proverbs 6:6-11, work is not a curse. It is an integral part of God’s good creation. Even the tiny ants along our sidewalks are examples of the necessity and value of work as they gather food and prepare dwelling places. God encourages us to work wisely, and He also reminds us that with laziness comes consequences. When we choose not to work, quite often “poverty will come like a robber” (Proverbs 6:11).

Work may not always be pleasant, fun or even easy, but it is something God has designed for us to do and it is often the means by which God provides for our needs.

Instead of viewing work as a terrible drudgery keeping us from enjoying life, God wants us to view work as a gift from Him and a means by which we can honor Him with our lives, even if all we are doing is counting change.