Bible Verse: Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Proverbs 6:6 ESV
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 6:6-11, Colossians 3:5
The sluggard, refuses to embrace God’s calling to work diligently. But there is an equal danger at the opposite end of the spectrum: the trap of the workaholic.
An honorable, God-glorifying approach to work does not involve a continual obsession with productivity. We are called not only to be workers, but also to be children, spouses, parents, church members, citizens, and stewards of God’s material gifts. God’s call to us is to have the right heart attitude toward each role, resulting in right priorities.
Generally, people become workaholics because they covet something—they are so greedy for this something that they have made it into an idol that they worship by consistently giving it more attention than it deserves. Some workaholics covet money, some covet fame, some covet power, some covet mastery of a skill or craft, and some covet not attending to other God-ordained responsibilities in their lives. It’s possible to covet several or all of these at the same time! Just as with sexual desire, which is also a gift from God, the desire to work can be perverted when it degrades into lust, greed, and idolatry.
To this, the workaholic responds, “You don’t understand. How can I possibly stop? There’s my family and church and job and friends and possessions. So much to be done . . . if I don’t keep going I’ll fall behind. I’ll fail!” I understand that temptation. In fact, I gave in to it. It’s not easy to accept God’s call to be balanced. That’s why he also gives us the call to reject idolatry, and the call to trust.
Taken from A Proverbs Driven Life by Anthony Selvaggio, © 2008. Used by permission of Shepherd Press, shepherdpress.com
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Prayer: Lord, in a culture that constantly pushes us towards “More!” grant me the grace and the peace to be content where I am at, with what I have, and to trust You fully with every part of my life.
Reflection: In what ways does your work make your life better, and in what ways does your work make your life harder?
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