What Is Your Occupation?

I once heard Granny Clampett say this about a man named Leif Crick, "he’s the only one I know who can get up in the morning with nothing to do, and at the end of the day he is only half done." In (Matthew 29:3, we find the word idle used, in the Greek it is rendered as a man without work. Friends, each and every one of us have work to do in the kingdom of God.

We find that even in the Garden of Eden before the fall, Adam was given work to do. Following the first sin when Adam was driven from the garden, God said from the sweat of your brow you will work the land.

Let’s look at the results of the sin of idleness.

First of all let me say it was a good question that Pharoah asked for the following reason. When strangers came in to the land Pharoah wanted to find out if they had a trade to contribute to the kingdom, or if they were going to be a burden to the kingdom.

(1) Idleness is defined as when a man is unemployed,or when a man does not do what he is supposed to do.God appoints each of us a work for the day, you are idle if you are not working. You are considered as being idle if you aren’t doing everything you ought to. There are far too many who are extremely busy in doing very little.

(2Thess. 3:11) tell us, "There are many among you which work not at all, but are busy-bodies."

(A) The Sin of Idleness:

(1) Idleness goes against God’s intent. God, made man for labor. Even in the Garden of Eden when man was innocent of sin, he was given a task. God never intended for Adam to just sit back in a hammock sipping on iced-tea taking life easy. God wanted him to work.

(2) Idleness is a Sin Against Nature.

When God spoke this world into existence, the lights of the heavenly bodies, the winds, waves, and the planets above were all sit into motion, they still continue to move.

The creatures of the earth such as the ant and the bea are continually busy. These creatures, along with many others God has made, testify against idleness and calls all of nature to action.

(3) Idleness Puts the Family of God Out of Order.

I think we all agree this world and all God has created are His family. God has appointed all men to have some work in His family. If one is idle , then he is out of order and hinders the progress of others.

(1 Thess.5:14) Tell us, that an idle person is a disorderly person.

(4)Idleness is the Breeding Ground for Temptation.

Idle minds and hands are the devils workshop.It is said that an unemployed man is like a city without walls or a gate, a place where any enemy can come and go as he pleases. An idle man is like a ship which is empty, any one who enters the vessel can put anything in it they want to. Those who are not doing God’s work are most susceptible to doing the devil’s handiwork.

(5) Idleness is One of Our Most Dangerous Enemies.

Standing water stagnates the quickest. Among the sins of the sodomites was an abundance of idleness, as well as lust. The two go hand in hand. In doing nothing men learn to do sin.

(6) Idleness is a Waste of Precious Time.

We have been given time to glorify God,and time to work out our salvation, the idle person squanders it all.

We are admonished to redeem the time.

The question again is asked ,"What is Your Occupation? Are you a contributor or are you idle?