| Back to Home Page | Back to
Book Index |
Diligence
Laziness
A farmer was sitting on the porch of
his house when a stranger came by and asked
‘How’s things?”
“Tolerable
” came the reply. He
continued
“Two weeks ago a tornado came along and knocked down all the trees I
would have had to chop down for this winter’s firewood. Then last week
lightning struck the brush I had planned to burn to clear the fields for
planting.”
The stranger responded
“That’s
remarkable
what are you doing now?”
The farmer answered
“Waiting for an
earthquake to come along and shake the taters out of the ground.” ── Michael P.
Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Laziness
According to John Silling
a Purdue
University entomologist
the ant is an exemplary worker. “Basically the ant’s
entire life
which can range up to seven years
is spent working
” says
Silling. “They gather food
bring it back to the nest
and use it for
day-to-day meals as well as to store for the winter.”
In addition
the amazing insects can
be adept horticulturalists
states the professor. Some species “gather bits of
grass or leaves and take them back to their nest. On this organic matter
which
is used much like fertilizer
they place tiny mushroom spores and grow them for
food.” But ants as dairy-keepers? That’s right. “Some ants get the majority of
their food by ‘milking’ aphids or plant lice which are often known as ‘ant
cows
’ says the scientist. “The ants sometimes herd the aphids down into the
ant nests at night or when it starts to get cool
then when it gets warm again
they herd them back up to the plants.” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Laziness
Humorist Ogden Nash captured the
bitter truth about laziness:
If
you don’t want to work
You
have to work
To
earn enough money
So
that you won’t have to work.
── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Laziness
F.O. Walsh gave this basis for
laziness:
While
other men paint
Or
water or weed
I’m
curled up in a chair
With
a good book to read.
While
other men shop
Or
shovel
or mow
I’m
having a drink
While
watching some show.
I
offer to help
But
my wife says
“Forget it
If
you lend a hand
I
know I’ll regret it.”
And
therein’s my secret
I’m
very adept
At
only one thing
And
that’s being inept.
── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical
Preaching》
Unamuno
the Spanish philosopher
tells about the Roman aqueduct at Segovia
in his native Spain. It was built in
109 A.D. For eighteen hundred years
it carried cool water from the mountains
to the hot and thirsty city. Nearly sixty generations of men drank from its
flow.
Then came another generation
a recent
one
who said
"This aqueduct is so great a marvel that it ought to be
preserved for our children
as a museum piece. We shall relieve it of its
centuries-long labor." They did; they laid modern iron pipes. They gave
the ancient bricks and mortar a reverent rest. And the aqueduct began to fall
apart. The sun beating on the dry mortar caused it to crumble. The bricks and
stone sagged and threatened to fall. What ages of service could not destroy
idleness disintegrated.
Resource
Sept./ Oct.
1992
p. 4.
Sheer laziness has probably been
responsible for more shortcuts
not to mention valuable inventions
than we are
ready to admit. Most of us are continually on the lookout
at least subconsciously
for easier ways to perform onerous or routine tasks.
An example of imagination spurred on
by outright lethargy is contained in the story of an old mountaineer and his
wife who were sitting in front of the fireplace one evening just whiling away
the time.
After a long silence
the wife said:
"Jed
I think it's raining. Get up and to outside and see."
The old mountaineer continued to gaze
into the fire for a second
sighed
then said
"Aw
Ma
why don't we just
call in the dog and see if he's wet."
Bits & Pieces
April 29
1993
p. 3.
Some people would do anything to be
able to do nothing.
Frank Tyger.
A personnel manager rejected a job
applicant because the firm was overstaffed. But the would-be employee
persisted
"The little bit of work I'd do won't even be noticed!"
Source Unknown.
Laziness
Humorist
Ogden Nash captured the bitter truth about laziness:
If
you don’t want to work
You
have to work
To
earn enough money
So
that you won’t have to work.
Laziness
F.O.
Walsh gave this basis for laziness:
While
other men paint
Or
water or weed
I’m
curled up in a chair
With
a good book to read.
While
other men shop
Or
shovel
or mow
I’m
having a drink
While
watching some show.
I
offer to help
But
my wife says
“Forget it
If
you lend a hand
I
know I’ll regret it.”
And
therein’s my secret
I’m
very adept
At
only one thing
And
that’s being inept.
DILIGENCE.
Each of the
evangelists bears testimony to the diligence of the women in coming early to the
sepulcher. Matthew says
“ They came
at the end of the Sabbath
as it began to
dawn toward the first day of the week.” Luke
“ They prepared their spices
and
rested on the Sabbath
and came early the next day.” John
“ They came the
first day of the week when it was yet dark” (Matt.28:1; Luke 24:1; John 20:1).
It is only those who do things diligently and promptly that do things well.
See what the
Lord says the Christian is to do diligently.
Ⅰ.
Unity. “ Endeavouring to keep”
(Eph.4:3).
Ⅱ.
Study. “ Study to shew thyself
” ＆c.(11. Tim.2:15).
Ⅲ.
Rest. “ Let us labour to enter”
(Heb.4:11)
Ⅳ.
Calling. “ Give diligence to make
” ＆c.(11.Peter 1:10).
Ⅴ.
Watchfulness. “ Be diligent that ye
may be found
” ＆c.(11. Peter 3:14).
Ⅵ.
Business. “ Not slothful in
business” (Rom.7:11).
Ⅶ.
Consecration. “ Giving all
diligence” (11.Peter 1:5).
The italicized
words denote that they are one and the same in the Greek.
── F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》