Question:
I wonder how I can do both of the following verses: “Be content with such things as ye have” (Hebrews 13:5), and “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding…and considered it well…so shall thy poverty come” (Proverbs 24:30-34). Should we try to do all, learn all, and accomplish much as Proverbs says? Or should we be lazy and sit back and do nothing, let God take control and do all as Hebrews seems to indicate?

Answer:
Our responsibilities are God-given. Don’t let anything be an idol, but strive to work for things needed, and “do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:23). “If any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10, 1 Timothy 5:8). We should work that we “may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28), and give to the Lord’s work (1 Corinthians 16:2), like the widow who gave all she had to the Lord (Mark 12:42-44).

Are we content with what God has given us, or are we greedy, and envious of what others have? With each situation in our lives, let us ask ourselves, “Are we really trying to please God by accomplishing this, or are we doing it to please ourselves or men?” Attempting to get rich is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:8-10), and is a pit for all kinds of sorrow. “He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent…hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him” (Proverbs 28:20,22). This is true of those who play the lottery. What a waste it is to put money to this use, when only a small fraction of people win anything.
Let us redeem or buy up the time: use it so we can get the best bargain, the best return for our investment (Ephesians 5:16). Let us use all that we have, our money, time, etc., for the glory of God. All that we have is God’s, and He has merely loaned it to us to use for Him.