A hand receiving a heart
The Bible is a book of training. It is a book that will train you and teach you how to be a very good person. It teaches you how to be the best version of yourself. Not lacking sufficiency in anything. Every aspect of a person's personality is touched upon by the teachings and promptings of the Holy Spirit. By the help of the Holy Spirit, truths needed for correct living in life are unravelled to every reader. Be it in spirituality, personal grooming, finance, relationships and even in homemaking, raising of children, leadership and so many other aspects of life. God does not want half-baked people as His witnesses. Because of this, he makes sure that you are not found wanting, lacking or insufficient in any good character traits.
At this moment, the Bible is teaching about diligence and responsibility. God does not accommodate lazy children. He prunes us to be sound individuals, reliable, accountable and responsible. Some individuals use Christianity and spirituality as excuses to be lazy. They hide behind the things they believe God has said to them and use these things as excuses to dodge responsibilities. Real life responsibilities. These people may be active in church, physically engaging in energy taking activities but they avoid their primary duties. What sense does it make for someone to leave what is expected of him or her just because he or she has got something to do in church? Or just because they received a revelation from God? These set of people claim to be so spiritual that even atheists who do not believe in God, are better than them at being responsible and accountable..
1 Timothy 5:8 - "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
Any form of spirituality or religion that keeps a person from being diligent and responsible is not from God. A sign of a true child of God is diligence and individual responsibility, not slothfulness or laziness of any kind.
Acts 20:33 - 35: "I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Do you see how responsible Paul is? That is diligence. He does not want to be a burden to anyone. He works hard to feed himself and take care of himself. His intention for taking responsibility is also for him to be able to help those in need because 'it is more blessed to give than to receive. There is a fulfilment in being able to provide. You feel happier when you are able to do something for someone than when someone does something for you and you also create room and reason for God to bless you. God will only increase a giver so that he can always have more to give. Responsibility is all about carrying your own load and necessity no matter how meager it may seem. Apart from allowing yourself to be helped when you need it and not being ashamed to ask for help when you are in need of it, we all should strive towards self sufficiency. We should ask God to supply us with His sufficiency so that we will not be found lacking in anything.
When you are lazy and too dependent as a Christian, it reflects negatively on our God that you preach. People of the world are not stupid. They know what it means for a person to be responsible and they know what it means for a person to be pretentious. Question is: are you a pretentious Christian? Do you use spirituality as an excuse to avoid responsibility?
2 Corinthians 9: 8 - 14: "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you."
God supplies seed to the sower. A sower is a person who is active, actively sowing seeds and God replenishes his supply of seeds.
2 Corinthians 11:9 - "And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so."
Responsibility. Diligence.
Ephesians 4:28 - "Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need."
It is only good for you to carry yourself in a way that leaves a good impression about God and about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not just to leave a good impression about God but also to be empowered enough to help those in need. May God help us in Jesus'name, amen.
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