The Lord Jesus has some unkind things to say about the deliberately slothful person. In the parable of the talents, the Lord lambasts the third man because he was lazy.

The Bible admonishes us to be not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit serving the Lord, and therefore by our fervency in our business we are also serving the Lord. And Paul says that if a man will willfully not work then neither shall he eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

And yet we live in a day when these things are being greatly ignored to the detriment of our society. One time some counties instituted a “workfare” program which was to substitute for the welfare program that had been in effect. Sadly, many able-bodied people did not take advantage of this. Too many of them just wanted something for nothing. We are producing more and more people who are being taught by our government in effect that the world owes them a living.

This is a sin and we as Christians need to face up to that. We are producing a generation of slothful, indigent people and it does not portend well for our society.

Furthermore, it does not help the poor, especially since the wealth-transfer systems break the back of the urban family. It is a great tragedy when we as individuals or as a nation stray from God’s principles. God’s ways still work, and He has designed us for work. Granted, some people in extreme cases cannot. But the exception should not make the rule.

Dear God, thank You for creating us to work. Thank You for the blessings of accomplishments and the joy in a job well done. Help us to do work well and always help those who are unable to do so…