Road Work Ahead: Diligence

Proverbs 6:6-11
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
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.

Main Point: Work Today for Tomorrow

Wow, this message was so amazing and so convicting! I find that I struggle with the issue of diligence more and more now that we're approaching the end of the school year. Technically, it should be the other way around, the years almost over which means I should be worker harder than ever. But I find myself constantly falling behind and wondering, "why didn't I get that done when I had the time a week ago?" Some people call it "senioritius" but I don't believe that at all, its just a cover-up word for laziness.

"The path of diligence is the path of wisdom, the path of laziness is the path of foolishness."

"Diligence is doing what God wants, when he wants it, and how he wants it."

It so easy to forget that we are doing this all with an eternal goal in mind. So often I can focus on the here and now, how will this benefit me now? Why should I do it now when I can do it later? Why should I do that today when I can do it tomorrow? Well, usually tomorrow ends up being really depressing because I get up with a list as long as my arm of everything I need to accomplish. Not only what I have to do that day but the previous days work as well. After all, what is today but yesterdays tomorrow?

The BIG problem: the sluggard

A sluggard doesn't consider the decisions about today because he doesn't believe they will affect the future.

A sluggard is someone who doesnot listen to reminders.

A sluggard is someone who goes after things that will give him/her immediate pleasure.

The sluggard says "Why should I be diligent today when I can enjoy my laziness?" = BIG problem

The tiny answer: the ant

The has no one reminding her of her work, she knows she must be diligent today in order to survive tomorrow

Important Questions -

1. How often do my parents need to remind me of the obvious?

2. What are the small things that are getting in the way of my goal?

~The goal being to be satisfied in God, to not be in want.

3. What am I doing to cultivate a love for home?

4. How am I following my parents?

"It ought to be the buisness every day to prepare for the last day."