(Sermon from this past Sunday, video can be viewed in link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj7aG4XI_hwProv. 6:6 "Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways and be wise."
Solomon declared that work was more noble than laziness. The lazy (sluggard) will come to nothing, and the diligent (who works like the ant) will prosper.
Solomon must not have known about the "name it claim it, blab it grab it" God of the New Testament American version of Christianity.
Thankfully not all television preachers are hucksters just making a buck, but there are plenty of those on the air. They don't encourage work and responsibility. They just want you to "sow your seed offering" into their ministry with the promise that you will be blessed of God for doing so.
Hogwash. The only ones getting rich are the preachers described harshly in Isaiah 56:11 as "greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain."
The apostle Paul commended work in I Thessalonians 3:6-10, "we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked day and night, that we might not be a burden to any of you... if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat."
Work is honorable.
Through your honest work God will bless you. Because of your work you are able to provide for your own, and you can show compassion and generosity to the less capable.
And we learn that from the ant who never quits.
