A Little Work Never Hurt Anyone

“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” (Proverbs 13:11)
When I was a child and needed something, my parents always made sure that I got it. If I merely wanted something- like a toy, then that was a different story. Sometimes, my parents would get the item I wanted, while at other times, I had to save my money and purchase it myself. When I had to mow the grass, rake leaves and wash cars to get the toy I wanted, I cherished and took care of it a lot more than I would have if it had simply been handed to me. The same principle applies with today’s proverb. Wealth- whether financial or spiritual- that comes easily is not usually spent wisely or invested. A large inheritance that has been bequeathed to you has greater potential to be spent frivolously than a similar amount you earned yourself. Similarly, when God gives us revelation and spiritual knowledge by dropping it in our laps, we do not usually cherish it or hold it dear to our hearts. However, when we have to “work” for the same revelation-by going through something difficult, by tenaciously digging our heels in and holding on to God or by diligently searching the Word of God for nuggets of truth- we will appreciate and value the spiritual insight a lot more than if no effort had been required. My dad used to tell me: “A little work never hurt anyone.” Likewise, a little spiritual “work’ will not harm a godly man either. Brothers, do not always expect spiritual manna from heaven. Get into the Word of God. Do a little prospecting for the gold and precious gems just waiting to be discovered. “He that gathereth by labour shall increase.”