Shooting Yourself In The Foot

When I was in high school, I had a football coach that must have said this phrase 30 times a practice. A lineman would jump offsides, and he would respond, “Come on guys; you are shooting yourselves in the foot.” A receiver would drop the ball, to which he would yell, “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot.” Anytime we made a decision or play that hurt our own team, Coach would remind us that we were shooting ourselves in the foot. We were hurting ourselves. The idea was that the opponent is already giving us enough problems and he didn’t want us create more problems for ourselves. I imagine we would have won a few more games if our feet didn’t hurt so much from being shot all the time.
Proverbs talks about the slothful person “shooting themselves in the foot.” Proverbs 21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labor. Can you see it? Here is a man that is lazy. He doesn’t like to work. The goal of his entire life is to take it easy, have fun, and do what feels good at the moment. The Bible says that this “desire” will be the very thing that destroys him. How? Well, he won’t work so he can’t earn money to buy food and he is too lazy to plant food in order to put something on his table. I know sometimes it’s fun to lay on the couch and do nothing, but remember that relaxed position cannot be your full-time job. You must fight that desire or it will destroy you. Not only will it destroy you physically and spiritually, but it will also make you poor. Proverbs 21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. If what you live for in life is “pleasure”, you may find it, but it won’t be exactly what you wanted. Wouldn’t it be great to just be able to stay home from school today and play video games, watch Sportscenter, paint your nails, talk on the phone, and take all the self-quizzes on Facebook? The only problem is you’ll never graduate from high school, no one would ever higher someone who can’t show up to work, and you would have to keep living with your parents until you figured out how to work? There are plenty spiritual reasons why Christians should work hard, but here is a physical reason that should motivate you at least a little bit-money. Not having money is okay, but not having money because you are too lazy to work is a sin. Finally, Proverbs 21:5 states, The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every on that is hasty only to want. Here is God’s answer to those who desire the “Get rich quick” scheme. God promises that the way to plenty is through diligent hard work. God rewards people who are diligent day after day. He doesn’t necessarily make them millionaires, but God will see to it that they have everything they “need”. However, the “hasty”, those who only want to work one day and get paid a million dollars, these hasty people will be want food and shelter before too long.
It’s okay to dream about coming up with some invention that will make you lots of money, but until then work hard and be diligent as a Christian, as an employee, as a student, as a member of your church, and as a member of your family.