John Ortberg, in one of his sermons, told of an interview with Max Dupree, the former CEO of Herman Miller, a renowned office furniture company. “Max is asked to speak a lot about leadership, and at one session somebody asked him what the most difficult thing was that he personally had to work on. This was Max’s response: ‘It’s the interception of entropy.’ ” Long before Max Dupree recognized this weakness in himself, Solomon gave advice to his audience as to how they could intercept their own entropy.
This story comes straight from the land of a farmer in Israel (Proverbs 24:30-34). When the writer viewed the farmer’s property, he immediately discerned the kind of person he was—complacent, lazy, and one who lacked judgment. His property was overgrown with thorns and weeds and the wall stood in ruins (Proverbs 24:31). The sage’s audience would have been appalled at the farm owner’s carelessness and would have surmised: The owner’s sloppy habits and disorganization was evidence of his physical and spiritual neglect.
The writer quoted Proverbs 6:10-11 (Proverbs 24:33-34) and rightly concluded: The owner was resting and sleeping when he should have been working. What began as a nap ultimately became a lifestyle of laziness and disregard, leading to decline. His laziness betrayed the God who had blessed him. The lesson was obvious: Hard work is a wisdom virtue, necessary for becoming wise and intercepting entropy.
If people walked past your house, looked in your garage, or sat in your office, what would they think? As followers of Jesus, we’re called to intercept entropy with the pursuit of wisdom, hard work, and diligent stewardship, including—but not limited to—organized and orderly lives. Let’s pursue wisdom and work hard in everything we do.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Exodus 3:1-22
More:
Read Proverbs 12:27, 19:24, 22:13, 26:13-15, and determine some other causes for human entropy.
Next:
What do your habits reveal about you? Care or neglect? As people view how you live, what are they concluding about your spiritual life?
marilynmk on February 2, 2012 at 2:10 am
This is really timing.About half an hour ago, I was just too lazy to read my devotion and pray. And I want to make an excuse telling God that my mind is willing but the flesh is weak. But the Lord reminded me that i should overcome my flesh with His Spirit through His Word and prayer.As Christians, we need to transform ourselves by the renewing of our mind each day to grow more on His wisdom and grace.
marvin williams on February 2, 2012 at 9:16 am
Marilyn, we all go there sometimes. The key is exactly what you are saying – renewing our mind and living according to God’s wisdom. The Holy Spirit helps us to intercept entropy. Thanks for sharing your heart here.
roxanne robbins on February 2, 2012 at 5:06 am
What a great post. I’m going to list areas in my where I need to intercept entropy and get to. I know by doing so, my life will better glorify the Lord.
marvin williams on February 2, 2012 at 9:26 am
roxanne, I will join you in making a list. There are so many areas in my life where I need God to help me intercept entropy. Sometimes it appears in my prayer life or time with my family. I know if I listen to his voice and respond to his Spirit, I will become more diligent in living his word and wisdom for my life. Thanks for adding your voice here.
kevinjgregory on February 2, 2012 at 6:53 am
Thanks Marvin for your post. It made me think of our motivation, and I was reminded that it’s so important that we keep balance and priorities right, and keep God in focus. We shouldn’t just work hard or make sure we are orderly to look good. At the centre of our lives we have to keep Christ, and our love for Him and our desire to serve Him must be the reason we pursue wisdom (His wisdom not that of the world), work hard, etc.
Thanks for the reminder.
lindafrances on February 2, 2012 at 9:00 am
It is so easy to lose focus on what is really important. Sometimes I think I have too much to do and have to skip my time with God. (I would say quiet time, but it’s never quiet around here) Taking that time with God puts my life in order and helps me to remember to work as if I am working for the Lord.
OnMyWayHome on February 3, 2012 at 12:13 am
I had an illness that laid me flat for a year and I’m returning slowly to work again. I have to admit I give in from time to time when I’m working and I get tired.
I know I need to work and also get in shape and rake it easy and yet I so wish to be whole again.
Thank you for the reminder and the encouragement.
winn collier on February 3, 2012 at 3:51 pm
knowing when to act and when to rest is quite the trick for me. I don’t know I’ve discovered the sweet spot yet.