Consider the Ants!

I recently had a frank discussion with one of my students outside of the classroom. He wanted to debate that he shouldn’t be punished for non-payment of child support. After all, he was a non-traditional college student who once held a factory job, but was now striving to better himself. I told him to explain that to the courts. “The judge won’t understand. They always side with the females.”

No, I said, your issue is that you don’t want to work. He looked at me in horror when I mentioned “work” and “job.” See, he’s a self-proclaimed “gamer,” and the truth is, this grown man doesn’t want to tear himself away from video games.

I know it sounds harsh, but I had to explain to him that the judge, or the powers that be, will likely see him as an able-bodied man who could juggle a job and school. People do it all the time. So he reasoned that it would not make sense for him to work because there is a small child in the home, and he and his girlfriend would just work to pay childcare. “I’m not having my kid being raised by someone else.”

Really, now? And you’re providing quality time plopping little Johnny next to you while you play video games?

I think there are a lot of people similar to this student. They make excuses for why they can’t work or find a job. But I think there are a great many more who honestly want to work, who find satisfaction in earning a living.

The Bible encourages us to work, and to have an attitude to want to work. It says if we are not willing to work, then we should not eat (2Thessalonians 3:10).

Proverbs shares the following illustration: “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and be wise! Even though they have no prince, governor, or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? I want you to learn this lesson: A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.” Proverbs 6: 6 (Life Application Bible)

I don’t believe anyone reading this is a sluggard or a lazybones. We all want something better, we want to feel valued and that we can make a contribution to a workplace. We want to earn a living doing what we enjoy.

Affirmation: I am thankful that I am able-bodied. I resist the urge to give up, or to be apathetic about my career future. I recognize when I may need a breather from the job hunt, but I am diligent in my search for the position that suits me. And there IS  position out there just for me.