Lately, I had a meeting with some
Christian youths where I asked how many of them love “labour”. Only two hands
went up. But when I asked how many of them love “favour”, every hands went up.
I understood why they took that stand. This is because of the emphasis on “favour”
and the misconception of the word “labour” in our Churches today, while
relegating the dignity of labour.
If you have a misconception of
these two words, you will be waiting for God to make things happen for you
while your counterparts and competitors who are unbelievers, would be working
their way to success. That would only confirm the proverb of our Lord Jesus
Christ when he said that; “for the
children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of
light.” Luke 16:8b.
The concept of favour does not
negate the concept of labour; this is one truth you need to accept. You need to
work. You have to be diligent in what you do; this is what will open the door
of favour for you to stand before kings and great men. For the Scripture says; “Seest thou a man diligent (industrious) in his business? he shall stand before
kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Proverbs 22:29.
The concept of favour
Never forget that we are living in
a world that runs on laws and principles and not by magic or luck. Just because
you are a Christian doesn’t automatically mean that you will enjoy favour when
you lack good morals or you are lackadaisical about your responsibilities.
Favour is not free. Favour comes
after you have done the best; through diligent in whatever you are doing. You
enjoy favour from your costumer when you are good at what you do. Favour does
not come by confession alone, but by diligence and by following the principles
of life.
One of such principles that
guarantee favour is showing kindness and courteous. This will make people to
love you back and show you favour where necessary. To confirm this Proverbs
3:3-4 reads; “Let not mercy and truth
forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine
heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and
man.”
I don’t just believe in favour, I
love favour and I do experience favour. However, maturity has taught me that
favour is not free. There are conditions that put you in the place of favour
and one of which is being industrious at what you do. I don’t enjoy favour just
because I am Gavin. No! It came, either directly or indirectly because of the
input or impact I have made to a persons or a system. You too can agree with me
that every favour you have ever enjoyed came as a result of a seed you have
sown which might be seed of kindness or labour.
The concept of labour
On the other hand, labour is not a
sinful act neither is it a bad word, as some suppose. Labour is not a result of
the fallen nature. Actually, work was instituted by God even before the fall of
man (Genesis chapter 1 & 2). The fall of man only made the nature of work
to be more difficult. So, the call to labour is not a call to frustration but a
call to be co-creator with God.
Every student that has ever
succeeded in his or her academics will attest to the fact that they had to
labour hard in their studies to achieve the feet they got. Without
corresponding hard work, success is not guarantee. It is when you’ve put in the
required effort that God comes in to bless the work of your hand, thereby
making you to experience favour before men.
Labour is what makes a man. The
end result of any venture is not actually what makes a man but rather the
process that he went through to achieve that result. Completion of the process
of preparation is what opens the doors of favour and opportunity. Esther had to
go through the rigorous process of preparation and purification before she got
the favour of the King Ahasuerus. Cutting corners in the name of walking in
favour is not good for anyone.
Paul made it clearly that he
laboured more than all the apostles. 1 Corinthians 15:10 reads; “But by
the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace (favour) which was bestowed upon me was not in vain;
but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace (favour) of God which was with me.” The results
of his labour are shown in the book of Acts and his letters are all as a result
of his industriousness.
For those that suggest that
Believers shouldn’t labour, they should understand that the word labour
appeared more than 87 times in the Bible. Few of which are:
“…wealth from hard work
grows over time. Proverbs 13:11b NLT
“Hard work always pays
off;” Proverbs 14:23a MSG
“The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. Proverbs
21:25
“There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and
drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.” Ecclesiastics 2:24.
“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the
thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” Ephesians 4:28.
“For ye remember, brethren, our labour
and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable
unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.” 1 Thessalonians 2:9
“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in
the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their
work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.” 1
Thessalonians 5:12-13.
“Let us labour therefore
to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”
Hebrews 4:11.
All the above Scriptures are
pointers to the fact that we should be hardworking and serious with whatever we
are doing if we must become successful in our endeavour.
Jesus Christ understood the
concept of labour that is why He prayed the Father to send in more labourers.
Matthew 9:37 “Then saith he unto his
disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye
therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers (not
people that are only depending on favour)
into his harvest.”
God is not a respecter of persons.
God only respects the laws and principles He has put in place to govern the
earth. That is why the Scripture speaking about God, reads; “for thou hast magnified thy word above all
thy name.” An unbeliever who labours hard in his course would succeed more
than a Christian that is lazing around; but only expecting favour.
We should stop lazing around with
the wrong mindset that we are not expected to labour hard. For you to succeed
and enjoy favour in whatever you are doing, you must of necessity work hard and
become the best in it. Let’s become industrious in whatever we have decided to
do in life.
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