"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing" (Proverbs 20:4).
What happens when a person plows in the cold weather? If he waits until there is no discomfort in his work, he won't often work. If we only preach the word at a convenient time, we are not plowing in the cold. We are told to:
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Tim 4:2).
Worldly people will force us to conform to their ways unless we are willing to suffer their hatred and scorn to follow Christ and His commands.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom 12:2).
Jesus refused to be conformed to the world – but his brothers fell to the temptation! Jesus told them:
"The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil" (John 7:7).
We must be willing to stand for Jesus even in the cold and even when the world hates us.
"And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls (Luke 21:16-19).
We need to use the spiritual plow in cold weather as well as good weather. We should not be like the sluggard who has nothing when the harvest comes.
Beth Johnson
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)