Though None Go With Me

The two books that came to my mind today were The Little Red Hen and The Three Little Pigs. The Little Ren Hen has a very good moral although many in the politically correct/socially acceptable movement may disagree. My only complaint is that we can carry independent overboard and be too independent. God did make us to live in community and work together. God said it was not good to be alone. I am starting to see that doing a lot on your own does not mean you are alone. We meet and work with people as we go. I don’t wait or depend on others where I can do it myself unless the Word  of God says not to do it.
The Little Red Hen
“In the tale, The Little Red Hen finds a grain of wheat, and asks for help from the other farmyard animals to plant it. However, no animal will volunteer to help her.
At each further stage (harvest, threshing, milling the wheat into flour, and baking the flour into bread), the hen again asks for help from the other animals, but again she gets no assistance.
Finally, the hen has completed her task, and asks who will help her eat the bread. This time, all the previous non-participants eagerly volunteer. However, she declines their help, stating that no one aided her in the preparation work, and eats it with her chicks, leaving none for anyone else.
The moral of this story is that those who show no willingness to contribute to an end product do not deserve to enjoy the end product: "if any man will not work, neither let him eat."^[

The Three Little Pigs

• The moral of the story is pretty obvious. when building your future be wise and take your time to build it up right. A good solid foundation and well structured plan can help in times of a storm to prevent financial difficulties. Such as a good savings plan, reliable investments, etc.
• Hard work and enterprise triumphs over evil forces and misfortune
• Don't give up when it comes to your life.
• Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
• Take the time and expense necessary to do things the right way. You may get by for awhile with shortcuts and shoddy work, but in the long run it will cost you.

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The Bible has many verses like the Little Red Hen saying if you don’t work, you don’t eat. However, the politically correct, socially acceptable story today is that the Red Hen is being unfair by not sharing. I am all for sharing and giving. In fact the verse my son worked on yesterday while we wrote it on lasagna noodles was Proverbs 21:26 – All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing. We should give to others. However, in this story the animals had a chance to have food and help and they wanted to play and do what they wanted to it. We are not talking about the disabled, injured, poor who are taking care of young or for other reasons that would prevent someone from working.  Many parents would disagree with me but I did teach my son to work hard, be helpful and take responsibility and care for his belongings. The sharing will come as we work on contentment with what God gives and trusting that God provides and we do not need to worry if someone steals or breaks our things. Sharing comes out of realizing the great gifts our God has given us.

Scriptures for Proverbs 31 Study:

Proverbs 12:24 - The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be put to forced labor.

Proverbs 19:15 - Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.

Proverbs 20:4 - The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

Observations:

1.    Slothful, lazy and idle are interchangeable

2.    Slothful/Lazy/Idle person shall be put to forced labor, suffer hunger and have nothing in the harvest.

3.    The diligent on the other hand will be in places of authority and will be filled.

Applications:

Since a young teenager, I have been identified as a “leader” or one that rules. I would come up with ideas and plans and go forward. I have been called “tenacious”. This quality of endurance that I give praise to God for is not a bad thing. It is a good thing.  Following what God says has kept me from being hungry in the spiritual and physical sense. Proverbs 10: 3 says “The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger, But He will reject the craving of the wicked.” Righteousness comes from being clothed with Jesus Christ’s righteousness. We then fear God and depart from evil ways. We are full of thanks for His sacrifice and our lives become the living sacrifice of saying “Yes Lord.”  When I think of a deep sleep, I think of a person with no or little discernment. Their conscious  has been darkened and they can not see right from wrong many times. They are on auto pilot. Their minds, hearts and emotions are not engaged. They are lifeless devoid of the Spirit of God. A person like this will crave, crave and crave and never have.  Also, people that are cast into a deep sleep and have nothing will eat off other people’s emotions, work, and kindness. The sluggard can drain everyone not just of material blessings but of spiritual blessings.

Before becoming a Mother, I was constantly helping everyone. I would work all day, have prayer and accountability groups 3 times a week. I served faithfully in Church as a counselor and small group  leader. After becoming a Mother and sensing my true purpose, I gave up a lot of work outside the home. I didn’t have the stamina to do it all. I wanted to train my son as God directed me. During these three and a half years, I have learned a lot. I have learned that I did many things for people that they could have done for themselves. Many times, I helped people come up with plans and directions from the Word of God that were never implemented. This use to upset me but now I do not take it personally. I am learning to ask questions when they come again for help. I ask what they have done since the last time I spoke. I ask them what plan they have for the future.

I think many times I think summer is for fun, camping and trips. I forget that a lot of projects need to do be done in the summer like certain pain jobs, cleaning the garage, planting crops. I have not been diligent in summer time many times. I still think it is the time we should have off for relaxing. I think this applies to spiritual harvest as well. It is important to be investing into lives of others. It doesn’t always have to be a formal role. It can be when we are at the store, at a museum, getting a haircut. Seeds are planted by the lives we live. I am trying to be diligent in teaching my son about God and it is amazing for me to hear account after account of how he stands out. I believe God has a calling on all of our lives and he created us for a purpose to glorify Him in the gifting He gives us. We are not to hide these talents or just spend them on ourselves but to work hard unto Him with every gift He gives.

I am thinking of the song


Verse 1
I have decided, to follow Jesus,
I have decided, to follow Jesus,
I have decided, to follow Jesus,
No turning back, no turning back.

VERSE 3
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
No turning back, no turning back!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you that you give us eternal perspectives. I hear you saying the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Lord, I do want to be a worker but with the right motives. I don’t want to work to look good but unto you for your Glory. Lord, I thank you that knowing you and having others come to know you intimately is a desire on my heart. Lord, use our family and my life wherever I am and whatever I do. God may we work together in and for You. I have decided that even if none want to make break or help with the bread (though none go with me), I still will follow. You are the bread of life and I want to follow you all my days.