Sleeping on the Job

I have a pretty intense and sometimes, downright scary job: I teach people to fly airplanes. I can tell you that there are days where I would just assume carry a parachute with me on the airplane or not even get in. There are also days where I almost feel like falling asleep because I have done the same thing over and over. It feels like Groundhog Flight. But, I must stay vigilant and awake to ensure I do not miss anything the student is doing, else I put the lives of the student, the public, and myself in danger.

Imagine doing the same thing when we are working for Christ? When we are just walking down the street, or through the mall, or down the sidewalk at church, are we sleeping on the job of being receptive to what God wants us to do for Him? Proverbs has some of the best advice in the Bible, save Jesus Christ himself. Proverbs 6:10-11 (NIV) has a double meaning when it comes to hard work. "(10) A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-(11) and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man." You can see the simplistic meaning of this passage from the standpoint of daily work ethic. But, if we search deeper than the human meaning for why God may have inspired Solomon to write this, we can see that he was also talking about our quest for reaching those who do not know Him. If we sleep on this job, it could be far worse than someone merely losing their mortal life here on earth. They could lose their eternal life.

Try this on for size: Listen to what God is telling you. Most of the time it is the Spirit speaking to your inner soul. I will tell you what I struggle with: I think too much. Sometimes God is simply spontaneous and wants me to just listen and then do, not think twice if I should or not. Next time you get that prick on your heart, follow what God is telling you: don't think, just do. Let God take care of the rest. That is what he wants from us: total submission to His will.

Trying not to armchair quarterback for God,
Jesus Freak Out!