lazy living
Humorist Mark Twain once said, “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow.” The tale of the grasshopper and the ant by the ancient Greek storyteller Aesop is a stark reminder of the detrimental impact of lazy living. Throughout the summer, the ant worked hard, gathering and storing food for the winter. The lazy grasshopper laughed at him, saying it was time to play and sing. When winter gripped the land, however, the grasshopper had no food and begged the ant to let him have some, but there was no excess to share.
be patient
If you had the opportunity to handpick the members of your local church or small group, would you choose people who always . . .
true fulfillment
How many times have you, as I have, delved into sin—addiction, sexual impropriety, gossip, pride, unbridled anger, slothfulness, and more—in an attempt to mask the pain of life? It’s so easy to respond to emptiness, disappointment, or hurt by turning away from God’s commands.
working hard
My dad is a hard-working man. He works 6 days a week. During his off-days, he’s always tinkering with something in the house—fixing the fan or cleaning something. Colleagues of mine who also know my dad have remarked that being industrious is a trait that runs in my family. Is diligence an inborn trait— are some people born lazy while…
intercepting entropy
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…
why work?
Think back to a time when you were part of a team through school, church, business, volunteer work, or sports. With that experience fresh in your mind, answer the following: What was your team’s primary goal? Prepare a class presentation? Share the gospel with 500 people? Increase sales by 25 percent in three districts? Win a state or national championship?…
