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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
A person putting a rocking chair to use is working, but he is getting no where. Energy is being expended, but the result (other than relaxing the mind of the one occupying the chair) is always the same; you are right back where you started from. Much of my working career, I have heard the following advice: “We have to work smarter, not harder!” Given the context of the saying, I generally agree with the sentiment in most cases.
Times are difficult (compared to what we have known in our culture) and they may get down-right hard! Unless we, our community, our church, our company, our family, etc., etc., is of unlimited resources, we need to learn to work smarter. When you are giving it 100%, the only way to improve is by improving the methods you are using. Solomon said the same when he wrote, “If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.” (Ecclesiastes 10.10). Lincoln is credited with saying, “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six sharpening my axe.” Lincoln’s statement is nothing more than an extension of the verse just quoted from Solomon. Moreover, the “Work smarter, not harder," slogan is merely an extension of the same principal.
Individually we need to work smarter in how we spend our time and energy in Bible study. Generally speaking, filling in the blanks in some study guide cannot compare with an in-depth personal study of the scriptures. Scores of tools are at our disposal which make this work relatively easy (at least when compared to the lengths to which men of bygone eras had to go), but generally I think it is a foregone conclusion that our knowledge of the Bible is on the decline. Why not use your time wisely by employing the tools that are readily available such as Strong’s Concordance, Multiple Version Translations, Commentaries, language and word studies, and other such tools; these are available even on the website which hosts this column (www.studylight.org)?
Collectively we need to be conscious of how we spend our time as an assembled church or congregation. Besides the primary function of glorifying God, the assembled church has a secondary and ongoing responsibility of edifying itself in love (see the entire chapter at 1 Corinthians 14 as well as Ephesians 4.16). Bible school teachers, elders, ministers and others that have a part in planning our time in such assemblies ought to see that it is actually spent in building up one another in the most holy faith (Jude 20) rather than just in exercises that are designed to make everyone feel “warm and fuzzy” and yet allow those in attendance to leave with no more grasp of God’s word than when they came!
Externally the methods that we are using to reach the lost (the lost meaning any accountable person who has not obeyed the gospel of Christ) need to meet the wisdom test. We have at our disposal the greatest network of communication tools that any generation has ever had. It is a breach of the principles of stewardship to fail to maximize how our monies and energies are spent as we attempt to win the world to Jesus Christ. Having said this, I now hasten to add – regardless of the methods that are employed, the world will still be won following the same principle that was applied in the New Testament, namely one precious soul at a time!
Sharpen your axe, but don’t forget to chop wood! Paul challenged fellow believers to put on the whole armor of God (prepare to stand) but then having done all to stand, STAND! (Ephesians 6.13.)
Questions:
1. What is the proper balance between sharpening the axe and chopping wood (state this as a “rule”)?
2. What primary and secondary obligations does the assembled church have as shown in the cited verses? Is there a balance that ought to be sought here (try stating this as a “rule”)?
3. Do you think the church has a greater opportunity to reach the lost than ever before? Why or why not?
4. Regardless of the method, how will the world be won to Christ?
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