Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

Both the Old and New Testaments contain ample admonitions against wasting the life that God has granted to each of us.

The Bible makes it clear throughout that God created humanity for two purposes -- to glorify Him in our conduct, and to benefit the world in which we have been placed through our treatment of others and our care of our surroundings.

Man has complicated this task through his sinful concern with bettering himself at the expense of others and of the world in which we all live. This makes it even more imperative for followers of God to make productive use of their time.

And, ever since the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, the added command and need to share the message of the Gospel with others so that they can be saved, as well as the gratitude of Christians toward God for having redeemed them, and the possibility of Jesus' return at any time, motivates believers to use the time, abilities, and resources that God has given them for the furthering of God's kingdom, rather than wasting them by engaging in activities that do not reflect positively upon their faith, or by making no efforts at all to influence others for Christ, or to witness to others about Him.

The account of creation in Genesis indicates that man was instructed by God to care for the garden in which God had placed him (Genesis 2:15). Similarly, their sons are recorded as having been productively occupied (Cain as a farmer, and Abel as a shepherd).

The practical wisdom of Proverbs contains repeated warnings against idleness, and makes it clear that God does not approve of it. Just some of the verses addressing this subject are:

Proverbs 6: 9-11

Proverbs 10:4-5

Proverbs 10:26

Proverbs 12:24

Proverbs 12:27

Proverbs 13:4

Proverbs 14:23 

Proverbs 15:19

Proverbs 18:9

Proverbs 19:15

Proverbs 19:24

Proverbs 20:4

Proverbs 20:13

Proverbs 21:25

Proverbs 22:13

Proverbs 23:21

Proverbs 24:30-34

Proverbs 26:13-16

In the New Testament, Jesus made it clear in passages such as the one cited in the question (Matthew 25:14-30) that God expects us to act productively for His kingdom, and that eternal rewards will await those who do, while eternal negative consequences will result from not doing so. (Note also His command in Matthew 5:14-16 for His followers to let their faith be so evident to others through their actions that people would see their good works and glorify God because of them.)

And strictly from a practical, day-to-day standpoint, Paul emphasizes that those who do not work should also not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12).

June 30 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report