“Being lazy will make you poor, but hard work will make you rich.” Proverbs 10:4 TEV
“No one gives you anything but an opportunity;
after that what you get is what you earn with God’s blessing.”
My thoughts today are about “hard work.”
Why is it that many people want everything to come to them the easy way? Good things come neither easily nor quickly. There is work and diligence behind every accomplishment and reward, or else the accomplishment isn’t that great, nor the reward that much. There is no easy way to get ahead and no way for you to prosper without hard work. If success comes too easily, you will not value it sufficiently and conserve it watchfully. You will only feel the greatest joy and pride in your achievement when you know how hard you worked for it.
Promotion and raises do not come to the person who wants them most, but are given to the one who works hard for what they want. Employers will say that their greatest challenge is “finding and keeping good people.” The diligent employee is at the heart of a company’s success.
Make yourself invaluable to the place you work and to the people with which and for whom you work. “No matter how much a lazy person may want something, he will never get it. A hard worker will get everything he wants.” Proverbs 13:4 TEV. Every boss, who wants to succeed and their business prosper, quickly learns to spot the person who is not afraid of hard work, and rewards those who gives their best effort.
Be worth every penny that you are paid. “If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune.“ Proverbs 12:27 TEV. People do not give you a job nor keep you working just because you need a paycheck. There are plenty of people that “qualify” for that. They hire and keep you when you contribute more than you cost. It is really that simple.
Display faithfulness to your task at all times – the same on your good days and challenging ones. “If you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what belongs to you?” Luke 16:12 TEV. You are given opportunity by another’s kindness; you earn recognition and reward by your own diligence.
I remember a young minister, just out of college, that I was interviewing for a job. He didn’t want any favor, nor anyone to think that he was given the position for any reason except that he earned it. My counsel to him was simple. No one gives you anything but an opportunity; after that what you get is what you earn. But while you are earning that, never forget that without the opportunity you would never have the chance to show what you deserve. Therefore, remember to be grateful not proud.
Treat your job as though it were your ministry, because it should be. “And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus . . obey (those in authority) in everything you do . . Obey them willingly because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ.” Colossians 3:17/22-24 NLT.
My prayer for you today is to be thankful, work hard, play often, and enjoy your rewards.