Proverbs 18.1
“Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”
Relationships matter. It is God’s purpose and design that life in Christ be lived in the context of the Christian fellowship. When Jesus calls you, he calls you into a kingdom community. God’s eternal purpose through Jesus Christ is to create a unique fellowship of redeemed and transformed people who live and work in a manner that makes God and his kingdom known to a watching world.
Christianity is individual, but it is not individualistic. The Christian faith is about individual and corporate life in Christ. Scripture does not contemplate a Christian disconnected from the fellowship of the church. The church plays an essential role in the spiritual growth and effectiveness of every Christian, and every Christian plays an essential role in the spiritual growth and effectiveness of the church.
Keep in mind that the church is a people, not a place. It is a body, not a building. It is a fellowship, not a facility. While we often speak of “going to church” on Sunday, the reality is that the church is the supernatural fellowship of all who trust in Jesus.
Proverbs 18.1 is a warning to not isolate yourself. Don’t be a lone ranger. Stay connected to the people of God. Stay connected to the community.
Proverbs 18.3
“When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace.”
When people are rebellious and disobedient, they also become contemptuous toward God’s standards and toward God’s people. If the disobedience continues, it will eventually produce dishonor and disgrace.
Proverbs 18.9
“Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.”
The authentic Christian life produces a strong work ethic. In this proverb, Solomon tells us that having a poor work ethic — that is, someone who is “slack in his work” — is similar to one who destroys. Diligence in our work is essential. The life that God created and Jesus brings is not some kind of super-spiritual, mystical experience. It is life designed for living and working in the real world of cause-and-effect.
“Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.” (Proverbs 28.19)
All of the characteristics that God designed into our life are needed in order to fulfill his command to do work. In order to be effective at any job, you must apply the attributes of the image of God:
- Set goals, develop plans, and execute.
- Think, make decisions, and solve problems.
- Give relentless effort.
- Manage your emotions.
- Communicate and collaborate with others.
- Act with character and integrity.
- Listen to people.
- Be resilient and persistent and overcome obstacles.
- Learn, grow, and develop skill.
- Adjust and adapt to changing circumstances.
It is enormously important to recognize — as followers of Christ — that these attributes come from God, and he makes them available to us so that we can do work, and do it well. That does not mean the Lord does the work for you. Rather, he gives you attributes, and you must cultivate those attributes and apply them with diligence to the work you do every day. Trusting God means doing work. It is an essential part of the life for which the Lord created you.
If you truly seek to obey God and love others, then trust the Lord and do good work.
