Be Still And Know

READ: Proverbs 13.11 NLT 'Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.' Oscar Wilde wrote, ”The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one.” That seems to summarise a lot of people’s thinking about work. Work is seen as something bad which needs to be avoided if at all possible, and if it can’t be avoided immediately then one should aim to retire as early as possible. This thinking is in complete contrast with Proverbs where work is seen as something inherently good. It is worklessness and laziness which are to be avoided at all costs. It is interesting that the writer of Proverbs refers to get-rich-quick schemes. This all sounds very modern, but the fact is that throughout the whole of history people have wanted to find shortcuts to wealth. There’s nothing new about laziness! God wants us to work hard because it not only provides for our needs and those around us, but also enables us to bless other people with the gifts that God has giv