Is It
Right To Be Lazy
Kathy
Overshiner
Is it right that a
person who works hard for a living, and
makes a decent living be ordered to
redistribute his wealth (wages) to others
who have less?
Is it
right that we should all have the same
amount? My father worked hard, Monday
through Thursday nights and got off Friday
morning, only to switch work schedules and
work Saturday and Sunday days. I remember
only once (one week) he was out of a full
time job and during that week my father
worked for the neighbor who did logging.
The next
week he got his next full time job and
worked there for years until he retired. I
never heard him complain. He was the type
that did not like handouts and felt we
should work for what we need and want. We
were not rich, but we did get buy. We made
do with what we had and did not expect
someone else give us what they worked hard
for. I never grew up resenting the rich and
I never heard my father complain about them.
My parents planted a garden of an acre or
two and my mother canned the garden produce
that supplied us throughout the winter
months. I spent many times helping in the
garden and with the canning. Today, I still
do some canning, but much easier than how my
mother did.
Remember
this-a farmer who plants only a few seeds
will get a small crop. But the one who
plants generously will get a generous crop.
Proverbs
12:24 Work hard and become a leader, be lazy
and become a slave.
Proverbs
13:4 Lazy people want much but get little,
but those who work hard will prosper.
Matthew
25:29 To those who use well what they are
given, even more will be given, and they
will have an abundance. But from those who
do nothing, even what little they have will
be taken away.
Is it right to be
ordered to give (redistribute their wealth)
to others who have less?
2
Corinthians 9: 6-7 But This I say, He which
soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;
and he which soweth bountifully shall reap
also bountifully. Every man according as he
purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not
grudgingly, or of necessity:
for God
loveth a cheerful giver.
As I
interpret this, God is not expecting us to
give evenly (redistribute our wealth), but
we are to give what our heart is telling us
to do.
We can give
generously or sparingly; and God will reward
us accordingly.
It is not
the quantity being given, but the quality of
our hearts desires and reasons.
The poor
widow gave little, but God considered it a
lot because of the proportions she gave and
her dedication. Is it right that America is
becoming a nanny state? I do believe in
helping when there is need, but I do not
believe we should continue to support those
who are unwilling to work.
2
Thessalonians 3: 11-14 We hear that some
among you are idle. They are not busy; they
are busybodies. Such people we command and
urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down
and earn the bread they eat. And as for you,
brothers never tire of doing what is right.
If anyone
does not obey our instruction in this
letter, take special note of him. Do not
associate with him, In order that he may
feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an
enemy, but warn him as a brother.
Those who
are idle are those who are unwilling to work
and receiving support from those who are
making a living by ordinary occupations.
Paul was instructing us that such people
must be disciplined by keeping away from
them and not associating with them, but we
must help those in real need. Paul no -where
teaches that believers ought to give food or
money to able bodied people who refuse to
work steadily for a living.
I will
leave it to the reader to decide if America
is becoming a nanny state and what we wish
to give, but what- ever we do give, our Lord
wants us to give it from the heart that
tells us
how much
to give, but no
matter what, it still belongs to our Lord.
