Laziness 04 - Reputation

I must first start off my acknowledging my appreciation for Douglas Wilson's book Future Men, whose ideas I am drawing upon and expanding on in these posts. It is a fine book for parents and young men alike, in regard to the challenge of raising sons to become Christian men. It is a straight down the line, no messing about type of book...not everything you will agree with, but when is that ever the case.

Wilson, when discussing laziness usefully distinguishes between self esteem and self respect; both are necessary, yet both quite different. Self esteem is useful and valuable in that it helps a young man to be confident, and interact with other people well. However, as we discussed in an earlier post, laziness is deceitful and a boy with too great a self esteem, in the words of Wilson himself 'may fancy himself quite the working man.' We must be careful not indulge young men with a false sense of self esteem, which actually encourages laziness in the face of true reality. Galatians 6:3 says 'For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.'

The Galatians passage goes on to say in verse 4 and 5...'But let each one test his own work, then his reason to boast will be in himself and not in his neighbour . For each one will bear his own load.'. There is a deep sense of satisfaction that comes from working hard; it is a good feeling when you are exhausted at the end of a shift knowing you having done a good, solid, profitable days work.

Furthermore, work is almost always a public affair, therefore it is good and right that our work should be tested by those around us. In this way, those who work hard will be upheld and earn a good reputation. On the other hand, those who are lazy should be identified as such, and subsequently exhorted toward taking responsibility and working hard. For this reason it important we do not let those around us - our friends, our children, those we disciple - fall into laziness, for there very reputation is at stake.