Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 16-18.
“A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on” (Proverbs 16:26).
Hunger is the reminder that we need to eat in order to survive. That hunger motivates us to do something that God expects us to do – work. Those who have the ability to work must do so (2 Thessalonians 3:10), from the man who labors by the sweat of his face (Genesis 3:19) to the wife who is a worker at home (Titus 2:5).
Sadly though, our society is getting away from the Biblical model of personal responsibility. For many able bodied people, their hunger no longer motivates them to work hard in order to provide for themselves. Instead, their hunger makes them think they are entitled to receive the food they need (and much more) from someone else – parents, other family, friends, the government, etc.
Hunger is certainly something that is inherent in man. God designed us to get hungry. But this divinely-given mechanism that tells us we need food does not give us the right to expect that others will provide for us when we are unwilling to provide for ourselves. Paul wrote, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Instead, the wise man says, “A worker’s appetite works for him.” How does it work? It motivates him to work and provide for himself. This is God’s design.
When we are hungry and need food (or clothing, shelter, etc.), we ought to work to provide these things for ourselves as long as we are capable of working. When necessities are repeatedly given to able-bodied people, they become conditioned toward dependence and slothfulness, instead of what God expects – independence and hard work.
Tomorrow’s reading: Proverbs 19-21
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.
