Sleep is for Sleepers (Proverbs 20:13)

Let the sleepers sleep. But if you wish to succeed, then you must awaken and get to work.

"Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes and you will be satisfied with bread." Proverbs 20:13, Amplified

Sleep is for those who wish to rest and that rest will come for those who have been faithful to work. As good Christians, we must work for poverty comes in many forms. We can be physically and spiritually poor. If we are to open our eyes and do the things that we are called to do, we will be satisfied with bread, both spiritually and physically.

Good Hard Day's Work (Proverbs 16:26)

This next verse seems a little selfish when read, but I assure you, it is connected to a spiritual law.

"The appetite of the laborer works for him, for the need of his mouth urges him on." Proverbs 16:26, Amplified

There are many different types of laboring in the world. There is the labor of an expectant mother bringing her child into the world. Most of us work for a corporation or a business where we labor for our boss. In early America, slaves labored for their masters. And the list goes on. But there is one thing that all these have in common: they all must eat.

I remember working for Denny's, I hated my job, because that is all it was a job. It wasn't even a 9 to 5, it was a 9 to whatever time I could exit the building. But I worked my little fanny off because I needed to eat and to pay my bills. I worked so hard because I needed to care for my family. What this verse is trying to convey is that we all work to the best of our abilities to support ourselves and/or our families. Paul wrote, "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." (Second Thessalonians 3:10, NKJV) In order to receive, one must contribute. This was the whole idea behind Social Security and Disability. The government wanted to take care of its citizens after a long life's work or after an injury on the job. But you must have had a work history in order to receive these benefits. Sometimes we must fight for what is rightfully ours, but the Lord promises that if we work, we will be taken care of. The Lord watches after his own and cares for us.

Investments (Proverbs 14:23)

If one expects to make a profit in anything, then an investment of self must be made.

"In all labor there is profit, but idle talk leads only to poverty." Proverbs 14:23, Amplified

I do not know if I could write an exposition on this verse or not because it is so self evident. But the Lord tells us that if we put ourselves to work, we will see profit. This is in whatever we do. Physically and spiritually.

Just think of the implications of this verse. We can talk about the things that we want done, but if we never actually do them then we are poor. The same can be said on the spiritual side of things. We can talk about the investments we are making in the kingdom of God, but unless we actually do something, then we are poor.

Souls so not save themselves, just as work does not complete itself. Put your hand to the plow and prepare to reap the blessing.

Appetite (Proverbs 13:4)

In order to experience life, one must get off his fanny and act. If we sit and do nothing, life passes us by without thinking twice about it.

"The appetite of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the appetite of the diligent shall be abundantly supplied." Proverbs 13:4, Amplified

The lazy man desires and is never fulfilled because his desires never manifest into action. It is like being hungry and knowing where to get food but doing nothing to satisfy the appetite. Eventually you will die of starvation.

The righteous man is diligent for he hungers after the things of God. His desire is for an eternity with the Lord. The diligent man works toward heaven, he fulfills his appetite by doing the things of God. He will be satisfied with heaven, whereas the lazy man will only experience hell. This is not to say that a lazy man cannot be saved and go to heaven. But laziness is not an attribute of God. When one thinks of the attributes of a man of God, laziness is not even close to being on the list.

If ever we read a biography of somebody who lived their life for God, we find one common theme. They were always on the move. Never resting. Never stopping. A stagnant pool of water only breeds disease, but a running spring refreshes the soul.

Fortunes Flipped (Proverbs 12:24)

In the end, payment will be rendered.

"The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slothful will be put to forced labor." Proverbs 12:24, Amplified

Fortunes will turn in the end. The diligent will be in the place where they do not have to work anymore. Those who developed blisters from working, will rule from a plush throne. The men and women that proved their faithfulness will be rewarded.

When they are taken away from their labor, who will step into their places? The lazy and the slothful. Those who do not know how to work will be put to forced labor.

Hands that worked will be put to rest and the hands that did not will be stirred to sweat.

Use My Hands (Proverbs 6:6-11)

Everything in nature expresses an attribute of God. He has created everything for His own desires and own purposes. It was for His delight that man was created. Somewhere along the line we have lost that ability to see God in everything. Human nature is clouding spiritual perception. Our own nature overcomes us so that we fulfill the lust of our own desires. We fill ourselves with empty promises; the void inside the heart grows larger and larger. Our psychologists of today call it a self preservation. We comfort ourselves. But true self preservation includes hard work. I am not speaking of spiritual works like different religions and cults around the globe. I am talking about hard work in the regular common life. The apostle Paul understood the precept and wrote, "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." (II Thessalonians 3:10, NKJV)

Solomon saw this nature in the ant. Work, work, work.

"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise; which having no chief, overseer or ruler, provides her food in the summer, and gather her supplies in the harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8, Amplified

Sluggardness is a cankerous sore on our society today. It is eating away at our youth. Have you ever seen an ant sitting under an umbrella sipping a Mai Tai? When ever you see the ant, no matter how irritating they may be, they are always one the move. They are unlike any other insect in the world today. Call it what you will, either laziness or sluggardness, one must admit the observation that I have made is true. It seems that the elders of our society have failed to pass down fundamental values that made our country great. Just two generations ago, men got up every morning and went to work while the women stayed home tending to their families. Where have those values and ethics gone? Go tot he ant. Work, work, work.

"How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you rise out of your sleep?" Proverbs 6:9, Amplified

This is not a rhetorical question. How long will the sluggard sleep? Idleness is something that a Christian is warned against. There is a great proverb (not from the Bible) which states, "Idles hands are the Devils playground." In other words, hands that are not at work will be used for something else. The Christian who refuses to do the Lord's work will not reap the spiritual benefits. His hands will cause him to fall. I know from personal experience that if my hands are not being used for the Lord's work then they will be providing for my pleasure. I woke up recently. I went to the ant. Work, work, work.

"Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep; so shall your poverty come as a robber or one who travels [with slow but surely approaching steps], and your want as an armed man [making you helpless]." Proverbs 6:10-11, Amplified

This is not the last time that Solomon will use these words. In Proverbs 24:33-34, Solomon will reiterate this same idea. One thing that I have learned is that if the Lord chooses to repeat Himself, it must be very important.

One sometimes says to himself that he needs a little rest, a break. I know that I took a break from school. After graduating High School, I wanted to take a short break before I went to college. My short break turned into 15 years. There is a certain personal understanding that I have with this verse. During my break from school, I had no intention of never going, time just came and went. Things happen at the speed of life and slows down for no man. I never got my career going, I have been working to make ends meet for a very long time.

We are in danger of the same things happening in our spiritual life. Idle hands do not make for a beautiful Christian. I must work. I must do. I was at the place of spiritual bankruptcy; it is a sad and demented place to find yourself. For one moment you live in the kings house dining on exquisite treats; the next moment you are sleeping with the pigs eating slop. No more sleeping. No more slumbering. No more resting. Work, work, work. Go to the ant. Use my hands.