Something that I shared during Corporate Testimony on Sunday:
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I want to thank God for the opportunity to study verses inf Proverbs relating to Hard work and Laziness this month in Word Meditation class, which is not only delightful in the wisdom in His Word, but also for the correction and rebuke for my life.
I don’t usually think of myself as a lazy person, at least not in my adult life. But as I meditated on the Word of God, His Holy Spirit allowed me to realise how I had displayed laziness in my life, even in my preparations for Word Meditation class. I had been the fool when I did not prepare fully for my word meditation class. I realised how foolish I was, like the sluggard mentioned in Prov 19:24, who can bury his hand in the dish, but unable to bring it to his mouth; or like the lazy man in Prov 12:27, who can go hunting for his game, yet too slothful to roast it to feed himself. When I read the verses, it was so absurd to see people 半途而废, i.e. to give up when they have already started the work. But then I could spend a couple of hours searching out the relevant verses for the word meditation topic, but would stop short at studying the verses before class discussion so that I could contribute to the discussion when my group is sharpening one another. So the verses came as a rebuke of my own foolishness as well.
Thank God also for the sharings of my siblings’ in word meditation class, particularly relating to Prov 26:14, “As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed”. Even as a sister and others were sharing how the verse motivated them to get out of bed in the morning and not be turning door in their bed, so as to have their morning devotion, God inspired me to do the same. I was initially sceptical of my ability to do that, even that I have tried to wake up earlier to have quiet time but failed. But by the grace of God, He reminded me of the verse each morning to get out of bed early, and the reward was fruitful time with God, and experiencing the power of His word in renewing my mind.
There was also Prov 6:10-11, which was very familiar to me, and I believe to many people as well. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. “Initially, when I came across these verses in my study, I thought, surely a little rest would not hurt so much; if you don’t work at all, maybe you would become poor. But through the discussions with my group, I could identify how little compromises can affect ministry effectiveness, such as in meeting people in shepherding, or in my relationship with God like in my devotion time. And with time, the little compromises would rob one of her instrumentality or delight in God’s word unexpectedly, like the way a bandit strikes. It was a sober reminder to me that if I condone the little compromises in my life, there could be a day when I would lose the satisfaction that I can have in God and life. And truly, in all of these, God showed me the truth of Hard work and Laziness, as in Prov 13:4, “The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied”. Indeed, God grants satisfaction in fulfilling their desires of the diligent who fear God.
