The STOOPID Sluggard

You are listening to a message from Thrive Community Church, a church located in Southwest Florida. For more info, visit us at thrive-fl.org. Last week we talked about that, I think. There are two aspects of wisdom. That is, a wise person, according to the Book of Proverbs, understands two things at once and knows how to balance those. And that is the goodness of God's creation, the fact that God created this world and everything in it, and there are a lot of good things, and there's an order to the way God created the world, and you want to go with the flow or the grain of the world. Otherwise, if you go against the grain, you get splinters. That's stupid, you know. And a lot of people keep trying to create their own rules and set up and think they can create their own, do what they want to do, and then choose the consequence they want with it, and it doesn't work. That's the created order. Then there's also the fact that the world is not just good and created, but it's also fallen. It's broken, and things don't quite work out the right way, and to understand that as well. So both the goodness and the brokenness of the world, when you understand those things and know how to balance those out, you have wisdom in different circumstances. But like I said, I think a lot of us, including myself, I'm kind of stupid at work. What I mean by that is, I kind of expect to put about 90% effort in and get about 110% out. Have you ever done that? Yeah. I overestimate my contribution. I underestimate yours. And that's part of being stupid. In college, I know, because I'm around college students, not all of them are like this, but so many of them I've had, just in teaching as adjunct, is they really do about B-level work, and then at the end of the semester, they come and beg and cajole and try to get you to round up. It's a little late, but that's kind of what we expect. At work, we just kind of punch in and punch out and kind of look busy, but don't get much done. And on the other side, I think employers tend to try to overwork their people. They underestimate what they get done. So at the same time, they want to increase productivity among their employees. They also decrease benefits and push more work at them. Isn't that interesting? That's kind of being stupid. It's called killing the goose that lays the golden egg. If you've ever heard that story before, I want more out of you, but I want to give you less to do it. Anybody ever face work like that all the time? So we're going to look at how unwise that is, but also how to approach work as Christians, as those who follow Jesus. What does it look like being wise at work? So let's look, first of all, at reading some of these proverbs. And as we read them, let's pray before. OK, Lord God, this day is yours. We thank you for how you've entered us into your presence. We pray for your presence right now that your wisdom would flow somehow through your word. You would get your work done in our lives, that you would make a difference in the lives of every one of us here today, so that we have your perspective on what work is all about and how we can glorify you in it. We pray, Lord God, today that you would teach us your wisdom in this new year, so that this year of 2020 is a year of true insight and understanding of commitment to your causes and your wisdom. Because we see there's a lot of foolishness in this world right now, all around us, dragging us down and trying to entice us. And we pray, Lord God, for that discernment this day. We lift up to you, Lord, the Christian church across Southwest Florida, the many different churches, many different expressions of your goodness and grace. And we thank you for them. And we pray, Lord God, that you would work in their messages this morning, that through those who proclaim them, Lord, your truth, your love gets out and brings about a change in the hearts and lives of people as you intend, that your word does not return void, but accomplishes everything you want it to be done today. And, Lord, that starts right here with me. All this we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. So, first of all, Proverbs chapter 8, Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads, she takes her stand. Beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals, she cries out, To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. Whoever works his hand will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway. Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings. He will not stand before obscure ...