Work Hard! And Be Wise With the Money God Gives You!

“You lazy fool, look at an ant.
Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two.
Nobody has to tell it what to do.
All summer it stores up food;
at harvest it stockpiles provisions.” Proverbs 6:6-8 (MSG).

Bible portrays the picture of a hard worker who is not lazy at all and says watch it closely and let it teach you a good lesson for all of us. The industrious, working, and saving nature of a little ant is here contrasted with a lazy man who does not plan and save for tomorrow’s needs. Unfortunately, we come across people who do not want to work and rely on a support system although they are able to work. The hard work of an ant gives a lesson if people get lazy and avoid work.

Nobody has to give planning counsel to ants. All summer days it stores up food. At harvest times it stockpiles for the wintertime. Do you know God wants us to plan and save for future needs? First of all, we need to work hard. Laziness is foolish. Hard work is smartness. Now when we earn money by work, we need to give a portion of it (at least a tithe) to God because he gave us the strength and opportunity to earn our wages. Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce.” Deuteronomy 8:18 says, ‘But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

Secondly, a portion of your wages you must save for your and your family’s future financial needs. Summertime is the time God gives you to earn money. Summer means the time you can work. Because there is a future when you would not be able to work. Your strength, health, and skill would also diminish when you grow old. You must save at least a tenth of your wages for your future needs.

Thirdly, you spent the rest of your income (1 Timothy 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:9). The Bible says in Philippians 4:19 (c) gives a rule that each healthy (able to work) person should keep in mind and that is this – “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” Apostle Paul, the greatest missionary set an example in this regard as He himself wrote in chapter two of the 1st book of Thessalonians. Therefore, hard work, taking care of personal food and bills, and family needs are God-given responsibilities.

Sadly, In today’s culture, people want to spend all of their income on bills and purchases. However, if you spent all your income, where is the money left to honor God with your money? How can God bless you more if you do not honor Him? Now, if you spent all your income where is the money left for your future needs when you would not be able to work? Honoring God with your tithes and saving a portion for your future needs is God’s secret for success in life.

Do you remember what Joseph did when Pharoah appointed him as the chief in Egypt? He said to Pharoah seven years of abundance to the land followed by seven years of famine. Famine was going to be severe. Joseph, in whom was the divine spirit God, gave counsel to the king and said, take action in the time of abundance and exact a fifth of the produce of the land and store up the food and guard it safely under the authority of Pharoah by which there would be sufficient food when severe famine hits the land. (Genesis 41). Genesis 41:55 says when the famine came, it was in all the nations. However, in the land of Egypt, there was bread because of the wise and Godly steps of Joseph. People of all the earth came to the land of Egypt to buy grain from Joseph.

Be wise with what God gives you. Use a portion to honor God. Use the next portion to save for your future needs. The rest is for your bills and current needs.