Roll-up Your Sleeves

And a very good morning to you - greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Sunday morning, 6th of November, 2022, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for the day.

We go straight to Proverbs 24, I am reading from verse 30:

“I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.

When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.”

Then we go straight to Luke 19:13. Jesus says:

“Do business till I come.”

You know friends, yesterday, I looked out over our valley and on the other side there is a beautiful big field that some neighbours are hiring from the farmer and they were busy planting crops. They were planting very diligently. When the sun went down, I saw the lights of their tractors come on and they were still planting. Just before I went to bed last night, I looked out through the window and their lights were still on, and the tractors were still planting. Very early this morning when I got up to have my quiet time before the sun came up, I looked out and - that's right, the tractors were still working. Now, these neighbours, maybe some people call them workaholics. I happen to know that they are milking a herd of over a thousand dairy cows every single day, they work extremely hard! They have to feed those cows in the winter when there is no food. If they do not work hard now, in the planting season, they will have nothing to feed their cows. I can hear somebody saying, “Aah, but they are very lucky. You know, I don’t have anything to work with!” Oh my dear friend, listen to the scripture. 

You know, I remember a young boy, a very poor child. His family lived very near to our farm. He lived in a small, little traditional Zulu thatched hut. This young boy walked to school every day, 15 kilometres. That's about 8 miles and then back in the afternoon again. An old lady, a wealthy old lady had mercy on him and she paid for his school fees. When he came home at night, he would light a candle and do his homework by candlelight and wash his clothes for the next day of school. When he graduated, he graduated with top marks. The old lady really loved him and sent him to university. He qualified at university and today he is the principal of one of the biggest schools in Northern Zululand.

Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day, goodbye.