DO NOTHING? BURIED TALENTS? IDLENESS?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Colossians 3:23 (NLT2) Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
I KNOW THERE IS MORE!
Many caterpillars hatched out of their eggs. Hundreds of caterpillars were crawling all around the grass. There was one real smart caterpillar that knew there was more than just crawling around in the mud. He knew there was more. He saw this big rock in the field. The sun warmed the rock and many of the caterpillars crawled up on the rock and enjoyed the sun shining so bright. He knew there was more than the mud. Maybe this rock was the more. This smart caterpillar looked around the warm rock. He saw several beautiful female caterpillar in their bikinis. He was very handsome and the pretty girl caterpillars invited him to come near them, in his heart he knew there was more than the mud, more than the rock. This caterpillar saw a big apple tree, so he headed toward the apple tree. He knew that climbing this tree would require much effort. After several days the caterpillar made it to the roots of the apple tree. With great effort he started climbing up the tree trunk. He got up about 3 feet and he looked back. He saw those beautiful female caterpillars laying in their bikinis in the sun on the warm rock. They waved at him and invited him to come back to them. In his heart he knew there was more. One of the girls laughed at him and told him there was nothing up that apple tree. Come, we will have pleasure together. He thought to himself: THERE IS MORE. He focused up the tree and he saw an old, wise caterpillar crawling down the tree. He asked: WHAT IS UP THERE? The old caterpillar said: I AM SO TIRED OF CLIMBING. Besides all that there is nothing up there. I climbed high, listen to me: THERE IS NOTHING UP THERE. The warm rock appeals to me! Come on? The smart caterpillar said: NO, I FEEL I MUST CONTINUE CLIMBING. The old caterpillar said: YOU WILL SEE, THERE IS NOTHING UP THERE. The young caterpillar would inch his way upward and rest. Several caterpillars crawling down the apple tree would warn him: THERE IS NOTHING UP THERE. Come with us back to the rock. For some reason the young caterpillar noticed each day he climb upward, he grew stronger and strong. In his heart the smart caterpillar knew there is more to life than laying in the mud. He knew his purpose was not partying on the rock. Day after day he climbed higher and higher. There was one older friend that stated: I HAVE BEEN UP TO THE TOP OF THIS TREE, I TELL YOU THERE IS NOTHING UP THERE. WHY DON’T YOU TURN AROUND? He listened but there was a yearning in his heart: I KNOW THERE IS MORE. Near the top of the tree the caterpillar turned and went out on a limb. He rested a while. There in front of him was a big, sweet, juicy yellow apple. He ate until he was so full. His muscles were strong. After eating all he wanted, he saw an apple leave that was inviting him to curl up in the leaf and rest. This felt so good. One day the caterpillar knew he was in a cocoon and he felt so good. He knew he had made the right choice. The leaves blew all around him. One day the wind started blowing under him and his leaf. He started feeling invigorated. There was a new feeling. The wind blew beneath his new found wings. The wind knocked him off the limb. The smart caterpillar was now a butterfly. He soared to new heights. He flew over the big rock. All the caterpillars were dried up and dead. The caterpillars in the mud had been mashed by the trucks. AS THE CATERPILLAR HAD LEARNED: LIFE IS ABOUT MORE, MORE EFFORT, MORE PASSION, AND GREAT PATIENCE. EVERYONE MUST WORK HARD AND APPLY GREAT EFFORT TO BECOME WHAT GOD HAS PLANNED. IN OUR HEARTS WE MUST LEARN LIFE HAS MORE!
GIVING PEOPLE FISH WILL SELDOM CORRECT HUNGER: TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO FISH IS MORE EFFECT!
Psalm 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
IDLE: to lack in purpose, empty, hollow, little worth, to waste time, no ambition, lack in aim, unwilling to work, inactivity, lack of production, idleness can be both physical and spiritual, USELESSNESS, LAZY, FRUITLESSNESS,
PROCRASTANATION: put off to the last minute, I have plenty of time, delay, postpone and negative consequences, no motivation, lack of self- discipline.
LAZINESS: unwilling to work, no use energy, no exertion, little to no effort, stay the same.
Old timers said: IDLENESS IS THE DEVIL’S WORK SHOP. Idleness has several cousins, gossip, busybodies. My mom always told me: The hours after midnight will lead to sin and trouble. Unless you are working those hours will lead to trouble.
WHILE PEOPLE ARE IDLE THEY DO GET INTO SOMETHING: BUSYBODIES, MEDDLING ---LONG NOSE?
2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
REAL FAITH HAS TO BE ACTION --- WORDS PRODUCE EMPTINESS IN DREAMS AND PROMISES. ---WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME? TALENT? ENERGY? WORDS WITHOUT ACTION ARE ALWAYS EMPTY.
BURIED TALENTS… GOD EXPECTS HIS PEOPLE TO BE FRUITFUL AND WORK. FEAR IS ALWAYS BIRTHED IN DOING NOTHING…
Buried talents: Why would people bury talents and not develop them?
Matthew 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
WASTED TALENTS? WASTED OPPORTUITIES!
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
IDLENESS WILL DESTROY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. IDLENESS IS CONSIDERED IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT --- BUSY BODIES
Luke 24:11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
TIME WAITS ON NO ONE… THE LABORERS ARE FEW?
Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, the harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
LET US CONSIDER HOW GOD RANKS IDLENESS AND LAZINESS? REMEMBER SODOM --- WE ALL SCAREAM OF SEXUAL SIN, THIS IS TRUE. THERE IS MUCH MORE THAN EXTERNALS.
Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
DO WE PALLIATE? MAKE EXCUSES? MAKE LIGHT OF IDLLENESS? THERE ARE WILD LIONS OUT THERE, IT IS DANGEROUS: I CAN’T GO TO WORK
Proverbs 26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. 14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. 15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
INSTINCT: IDLENESS IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR…
Seems all loves to eat? Few learn to cook? 50 people like to ride in the wagon? NO ONE LIKES TO PULL THE WAGON
1 Timothy 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
1 Timothy 5:13 (ESV) Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.
GOD SAYS IF YOU PLAN ON EATING --- YOU NEED TO WORK AND APPLY EFFORT!
Proverbs 19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
IDLENESS TENDS TO LOOK FOR A BETTER TIME? A PERFECT CONDIITIONS?
Proverbs 24:30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; 31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
EVER HEARD OF CHATTY KATHY? --- EMPTY PROMISES? TALK NEVER DO --- JUST WAGGING YOUR TONGUE GETS LITTLE DONE. WORK HAS REWARDS.
Acts 17:21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
NATURE TEACHES GOD LOVES PREPARATION AND WORK. THE ANTS TEACH US A GREAT LESSON.
Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Are we watching and ready for the second coming?
Isaiah 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Conclusion: There were 10 virgins. All were clean? 5 foolish had the sin of idleness and not being ready. They thought they had plenty of time? They were idle and not full of the oil of the Holy Spirit! God is not against rest and relaxation, God plan is to WORK. We must EXERT EFFORT! WE MUST TRY HARDER! WE MUST APPLY OURSELVES TO IMPROVE AND DO BETTER!
Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
If a person is working the oars properly, they will have no time to rock the boat. Will we learn the lesson of idleness?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
