Proverbs 24.30-34
“I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
God has created a world where work is required. It takes work and it takes time to create, achieve, solve, or fix anything. And the amount of work and length of time scales with the size of the goal or project. It’s a timeless, straightforward principle: Work the process that is necessary for the time that is required, and solve problems along the way.
You can’t cheat the necessary process, nor can you cheat the time that is required. In some situations it is possible to use strategies to streamline the process or techniques to accelerate the time, but the principles still applies. There is always a process that is necessary and a time that is required.
Proverbs reminds us that there is a big difference between a “want ethic” and a “work ethic.” The difference is simple: Wanting is easy. Working is hard. “Sluggards” are lazy people who want, but don’t work. “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” (Proverbs 13:4)
To be productive in life, you must do the work required. Achievement is the result of consistent, discipline-driven action in pursuit of your goals. The outcome you get is determined by the action you take. You don’t get the outcomes you want; you get the outcomes you work for.
- Want to learn a new language? You must do the work.
- Want to lose weight and get in shape? You must do the work.
- Want to strengthen the culture in your organization? You must do the work.
- Want to improve a relationship in your life? You must do the work.
This is why Event + Response = Outcome (E+R=O) is so helpful. For every outcome you want, there is a necessary response. If you don’t engage in the necessary R, you won’t get the desired O. If you engage in a default response, you will get a default outcome. But if you choose a disciplined response, you will get the best possible outcome. It’s cause-and-effect. Outcomes are earned by the quality of your response.
It’s important to understand that the O is feedback about how well your R is working. If you are not getting the outcome you want in some area of your life, the E+R=O system is giving you feedback that you need to change and improve your R.
Don’t take it personally; don’t waste time complaining or trying to defend yourself. Focus your time and invest your energy in doing the work to get better.
Life will test how committed you are to the outcomes you want. Here’s the test: Identify an outcome you want, clarify the work required to achieve the outcome, and then ask, “Am I willing to do the work? Am I willing to persevere through the obstacles and difficulties and discomfort until I achieve the outcome? Am I willing to do that?”
If the answer is no, then drop that outcome and find one you are willing to pursue with discipline. If the answer is yes, then go for it. Be careful of wanting more than you are willing to work for. Everyone wants; not everyone works.
“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” (Proverbs 6.6-8)
Warning! Please do not make the mistake of thinking that work and faith are opposed to each other. Committed followers of Jesus work hard because they have faith. Diligent effort flows from trusting and loving the God who saved us.
Trust God and do the work!
