Proverbs 18:9

“He who is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.”

Work is a huge part of any man’s life. This is the Design of God and from the very beginning, God gave man a work to do.  

Genesis 2:15 

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

So, what does it mean to be ‘slack’ in my God designed work? 

Slack – slow, sluggish, not active or busy; lazy. 

Being slack in my work is a ‘brother’ to one who tears down or destroys work. ‘Brother’ means coming from the same family. Not exactly the same thing but the same origin. 

As a Christ follower, how does this impact my work?

Colossians 3:23

“Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men,”

Whatever is not limited to my ‘job’ but certainly would include it. ‘Heartily’ is more than diligence, which is affirmed over and over in the Book of Proverbs. Heartily is – exuberant; with vigor, enthusiastic. 

Again, as a Christ follower this makes sense because I am working to serve the Lord – and not man or a company or a business.

And because I am ‘serving the Lord’, my reward will come from Him…

Colossians 3:24

“Since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

An ‘inheritance’ is designed for children, not as a result of their hard work but a result or a ‘relationship’. So an action point may be to simply set my heart and my mind on things above.. 

(Colossians 3:1-2)

Prayer. 

Father, please remind me today of my new and eternal life in Christ as I go to work. Give me grace to work today with vigor and enthusiasm and to honor Jesus with my attitude.  It’s in His Name I pray, Amen.