31 - Part 3 [Notes]

Join us for 31, a month-long journey through the wisdom of Proverbs. Each Sunday, explore practical themes like work, parenting, and the power of our words while learning how godly wisdom can shape every area of our lives. With daily readings and Sunday messages, this series invites us to grow in our relationship with God and others by applying His truth in transformative ways.

Takeaway: God designed us to work hard and rest well. 

Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise.
– Proverbs 6:6 (CSB)

God designed us to work hard and rest well.
Read – Proverbs 12 

The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense.
– Proverbs 12:11 (CSB) 

“Diligent farming results in plenty of food. But chasing (an intensive verbal form meaning to pursue frantically) fantasies (things that are empty or worthless), either mentally or physically, does not get the farming done and so one lacks food. To neglect one’s work while thinking about other things shows lack of judgment.”
– Dr. S.S. Buzzell, Bible Knowledge Commentary

“So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.”
– Genesis 1:27 (CSB)

“The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.”
– Genesis 2:15 (CSB)

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.”
– Colossians 3:23 (CSB)

“On the seventh day God had completed his work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all his work that He had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from all his work of creation.”
– Genesis 2:2-3 (CSB)

The diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labor.
– Proverbs 12:24 (CSB)

If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.
– 2 Thessalonians 3:10 (CSB)

But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
– 1 Timothy 5:8 (CSB)

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and he will give a reward to the lender.
– Proverbs 19:17 (CSB)

 Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates.
– Proverbs 31:31 (CSB)

God designed us to work hard and rest well 

• Read – Proverbs 12
• Reflect – God, Others, Self

A lazy hunter doesn’t roast his game, but to a diligent person, his wealth is precious.
– Proverbs 12:27 (CSB)

“A lazy person refuses to roast his game. ‘Roast’ (ḥārak), used only here in the Old Testament, is difficult to translate precisely. It may mean the lazy man will not even go after food. Or it may mean that he hunts some game but is too lazy to cook it. Diligence, however, leads a hunter to value what he has acquired. This suggests that a lazy person does not value what he owns.”
– Dr. S.S. Buzzell, Bible Knowledge Commentary

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.
–  Proverbs 6:10-11 (CSB)

1. What was the first job you remember being paid for? Reflect on what you learned about work, responsibility, or diligence from that experience.
2. Read Proverbs 12:24 (CSB): “The diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labor.” How do you see the contrast between diligence and laziness in your own life? Are there specific areas where you struggle to stay motivated or put in the effort God calls us to?
3. Read Proverbs 14:23 (CSB): “There is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty.” What opportunities do you have right now to work hard and rest well? How might you honor God and steward what He’s entrusted to you in these areas?
4. Read Proverbs 22:6 (CSB): “Start a youth out on his way; even when he grows old he will not depart from it.” How can we teach the value of hard work to our children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews? What are some ways we can model diligence, give them responsibilities (like chores), help them earn money (like cutting grass or babysitting), and encourage independence (like getting a driver’s license or a job)?
5. Read Proverbs 12:25 (CSB): “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up." How can you show encouragement to others who are working hard (paid work and/or unpaid work), or struggling to give their best effort? Think about someone in your family, workplace, or community who might need a word of appreciation or support.

Who is Like the Lord // I'm Listening // Worthy of My Song // Made for More

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