Proverbs 6:6-11, “You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. NOBODY HAS TO TELL IT WHAT TO DO. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. SO HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO LAZE AROUND DOING NOTHING? How long before you get out of bed? A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest.” (MSG)
Far too many of us are sitting around wasting time waiting for someone to come along and tell us what to do next!
The story’s told of a man who was employed by a duke and duchess. One day he was called in to speak to his employer. “James, how long have you been with us?” said the Duchess. “About 30 years, Your Grace,” he replied. “As I recall you were employed to look after the dog,” she said. “Yes, Your Grace.” “James, that dog died 27 years ago,” said the Duchess. “Yes, Your Grace,” said James, “I was waiting for you to tell me what you would like for me to do next”
As comical as it sounds, many of us are just like James! 10 years later and we’re still waiting to be told what to do next. In ministry 15 years and still waiting to be told what to do next. What’s the problem? A LACK OF INITIATIVE! Why do we fail to take initiative? BECAUSE WE DON’T REALIZE THE HEAVY CONSEQUENCES OF OUR INACTION! Solomon writes in our text from: Proverbs 6:6-11, “You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. NOBODY HAS TO TELL IT WHAT TO DO. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. SO HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO LAZE AROUND DOING NOTHING? How long before you get out of bed? A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest.” (MSG)
People of God, whatever we do—or neglect to do for that matter—always catches up with us eventually! 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, “Or, to put it another way, you are God’s house. Using the gift God gave me as a good architect, I designed blueprints; Apollos is putting up the walls. Let each carpenter who comes on the job take care to build on the foundation! Remember, there is only one foundation, the one already laid: Jesus Christ. Take particular care in picking out your building materials. Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you’ll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won’t get by with a thing. If your work passes inspection, fine; if it doesn’t, your part of the building will be torn out and started over. But you won’t be torn out; you’ll survive—but just barely.” (MSG)
I reiterate, we are accountable for what we DO and for what we leave UNDONE! Saint’s, God’s Inspection of the Work You’ve Done, or Left Undone, is Coming and You WANT to Pass His Test! Therefore, No More Hesitation, Laziness or Procrastination, Get Your Works in Order TODAY! Luke 9:62, “Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.” (MSG)
Those who procrastinate end up like the man in playwright James Albery’s verse: “He slept beneath the moon, he baked beneath the sun. He lived a life of going-to-do; and died with nothing done.” Don’t let this be descriptive of your life and legacy!
Paul writes: “…God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well…” (Romans 12:6 NLT). The Amplified Bible says it like this: “Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, LET US USE THEM…” (AMP); and the Message Bible states it like this: “So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, LET’S GO AHEAD AND BE WHAT WE WERE MADE TO BE…” (MSG).
Knowing your ability is one of the keys to understanding life’s assignment. However, you can only plan and prepare for so long, EVENTUALLY YOU’VE GOT TO TAKE SOME ACTION, TAKE SOME INITIATIVE AND BECOME WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MADE TO BE!
Notice 2 things about taking the Initiative:
1…TAKING INITIATIVE CLOSES THE DOOR TO FEAR: Although none of us wants to admit it, we all have fears. The question is, are we going to control them or allow them to control us? Norman Vincent Peale said: “Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.” To have any chance at getting what we desire, we need to work for it. Nothing is as discouraging or draining as hanging on to an Uncompleted Task. The longer we let things slide, the harder they become. And the hardest work is often the accumulation of many easy things that should have been done yesterday, last week or last month! So how do you get rid of a difficult task? JUST DO IT! Stop talking about it and become it! Turn the blueprint into a building! It’s time you Step out of Fear and Walk by Faith! Truth is, once you become engulfed in doing it instead of talking about it, you’ll find yourself too busy to focus on fear! But standing still and just looking at it will always give you the anxiety that it cannot be accomplished! So today, determine to send your resume in for that job. So what you don’t qualify, they may be looking for some new blood to train and shake up the office. After all, what’s the worst that could happen, they tell you no!? Surely, that won’t stop you from breathing and continuing on with life. Listen: If you’ve got a pulse, you’ve got a purpose, so get to producing it! You do know that you don’t have forever, right?! So, go back to school, learn to drive, apply for the job, go after the grant, start the business, move out of state, etc…whatever you plan to do, know that you only have a limited time on earth to get it done, so start Today, since Yesterday is Gone, and Tomorrow is NEVER Guaranteed to Come!
2…TAKING THE INITIATIVE OPENS THE DOOR TO OPPORTUNITY: People who take the initiative and work hard may succeed, or fail. But anyone who doesn’t take initiative is Guaranteed to Fail! So, today ask God, “Is there a decision I should be making? Is there a problem I should be solving? Is there a project I should be starting? Is there a goal I should be setting or striving toward? Is there an opportunity I should be seizing?” Solomon writes, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4 TLB). It’s better to be 80% sure, and start, than to wait until you’re 100% sure, because by then the opportunity may have passed you by, never to return again. So today, DETERMINE TO TAKE SOME INITIATIVE! Remember This: Doors Don’t Stay Open Indefinitely! Think about it, when you come home, you enter the door and close it behind you! You don’t leave the door open indefinitely! Likewise, supermarket doors close, business doors close, school doors close, office doors close, bank doors close, restaurant doors close, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, Lord & Taylor, Payless and even most Laundromats and 99 cent stores all close! No Door Stays Open Indefinitely! So while you have the opportunity of an open door, Walk Through It Before It Closes…For Good! That position may not be available tomorrow; that grant and scholarship may not be offered next year; that mortgage and dealership flyer may not come in the mail again; the chance to travel may not happen again! Write that book on that topic before someone else does; record that song today; even go out on a limb and tell that person how you really feel about them, today! Are you getting this? Open doors of opportunity do not stay open indefinitely! So, find your courage, take heart and go for it! Take Initiative Now!
The Bible says this: “…Steep yourself in God-reality, GOD-INITIATIVE, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.” (Luke 12:29-32 MSG). However, please understand that you can only pray, plan and prepare for so long, EVENTUALLY YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT IN FAITH AND ACT!
A Chinese Proverb says, “He who deliberates too long before taking a step, will spend his whole life on one leg.” What does that mean you ask? Well, your body was built with two legs for stability. And procrastination, or holding one foot in the air, however never actually taking the step, will forever cause you to, like the Chinese Proverb “…spend his whole life on one leg” which translates, unsteady and unstable! And what does the Bible have to say about that? James 1:5-8, “If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. For such a person ought not to think or expect that he will receive anything [at all] from the Lord, being a double-minded man, UNSTABLE and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].” (MSG)
You Cannot Walk in the Promises of God On the Feet of Unsteady, Unstable, Wavering Faith!
So TODAY, DETERMINE TO WALK BY CONFIDENT FAITH AND PUT YOUR FOOT ON IT! WHY? BECAUSE THE WORD OF GOD PROMISED: “That’s right. If you diligently keep all this commandment that I command you to obey—love God, your God, do what he tells you, stick close to him—God on his part will drive out all these nations that stand in your way. Yes, he’ll drive out nations much bigger and stronger than you. EVERY SQUARE INCH ON WHICH YOU PLACE YOUR FOOT WILL BE YOURS. Your borders will stretch from the wilderness to the mountains of Lebanon, from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand in your way. Everywhere you go, God-sent fear and trembling will precede you, JUST AS HE PROMISED.” (Deuteronomy 11:22-25 MSG).
SO PUT YOUR FOOT ON IT AND KEEP WALKING BY FAITH! TAKE SOME INITIATIVE, FOR THE PROMISE IS ALREADY YOURS!
Another reason we never get started is because we focus on tomorrow INSTEAD OF TODAY! But the only time over which you have any control is the present. James writes: “Look here, you people who say, ‘tomorrow we are going to a certain town…We will do business there and make profit.’ How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (James 4:13-14 NLT).
Edgar Guest wrote: “The greatest of workers this man would have been—tomorrow. The world would have known him, had he ever seen—tomorrow. But the fact is he died and he faded from view, and all that he left here when living was through, was a mountain of things he intended to do—tomorrow.”
The idea of tomorrow can be very seductive, BUT THE PROMISE IT HOLDS IS OFTEN FALSE AND UNFLATTERING! SO NO MORE PROCRASTINATION ABOUT TOMORROW, TODAY TAKE SOME INITIATIVE!
Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, observed, “The greatest time wasted, is the time getting started.” If you think about it: The hardest part of writing a letter is penning the first line. The hardest part of making a tough phone call is picking up the receiver and dialing the number. So how do we overcome this difficulty? The Bible says, “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” (Galatians 6:4-5 MSG). In other words, figure out what you’re supposed to do for God, AND THEN DO IT!
One of the last obstacles between Israel and the Promised Land was the River Jordan. But God had a plan. He told the priests carrying the Ark that when they stepped in the river, the waters would roll back.
There are 2 important lessons here for you:
1…NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL YOU QUIT HOLDING BACK: You can’t wait for everything to be perfect! You can’t wait until all your fears subside! You must take the initiative now! Overcomers understand that Momentum is your friend! As soon as you start moving forward, certain things become clearer and easier. And when the momentum gets strong enough, many of the problems actually take care of themselves. Maybe you’ve heard the story of the tourist in a small town who asked an old man, “Can you tell me something this town is noted for?” After a moment’s hesitation he replied, “Well, you can start here and go anywhere in the world you want.” That’s true of you too. Where you finish in life isn’t determined so much by where you start, AS BY WHETHER YOU START! If you’re willing to get started, there’s no telling just how far you’ll go! SO STOP HOLDING BACK AND TAKE SOME INITIATIVE! You Can Start Right Here, And Go Anywhere! The priests had to carry the Ark and step into the water! In other words, They Had To Move Forward to Attain the Promise! YOU HAVE TO DO LIKEWISE! SO PICK YOURSELF UP AND GET TO STEPPING! YOUR PROMISE IS WAITING FOR YOU!
2…YOU MUST BE WILLING TO PERSEVERE: The Jordan River didn’t dry up the moment the priest stepped into it. God dried it up 26 MILES UPSTREAM, so they had to wait till all that water passed by (See Joshua 3:14-17). Why did God do it that way? Because He sees the big picture! God planned an opening wide enough for not just one or two, but for MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE TO CROSS! So trust God, and take the initiative! Just by your obedience to God and trust in Him, you never know the opening your initiative has set for many others to walk through as well! Your Perseverance Is Not Just For You! So take some initiative, and get to stepping, there’s a multitude waiting on you to make a move!
TODAY, DETERMINE TO TAKE SOME INITIATIVE AND GET MOVING!
The word ‘initiative’ is defined as: “the ability to act independently and with a fresh approach; the power or opportunity to act before others do; a new development or fresh approach to a problem; to do something without being prompted by others.” Sounds a lot like the ants don’t you think? “You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. NOBODY HAS TO TELL IT WHAT TO DO…” (MSG) This year is the year where you start to walk by faith. This is the year where you start to focus on fulfilling vision. It is not the year that you repeat past failed behaviors of waiting around to see what someone else is going to do first. No! This Year Make a Move, and Do So On Purpose and With Purpose! You Never Know Who You Will Inspire By Your Initiative to Do the Same Thing!
Another key to hold onto is that initiative is developed by the independent act of approaching something in a fresh way. Which means, while you’re sitting here waiting for someone to tell you what they’ve always done, God is waiting for you to use your brain and think of what hasn’t been done already! Take a Fresh Approach! We need no more clones in the church. Ask God to give you initiative that keeps its’ eyes on the future, not on the past; eyes to see what can be done, not on what’s already been done. This Year Fresh Focus, Fresh Faith, Fresh Initiative!
Let’s Go!
“Initiative is doing the right thing without being told.” (Victor Hugo)
“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
“A lot of people never use their initiative, because no one told them to.” (Banksy)
“Personal initiative is self starting and proactive; works independently of outside influence or control.” (Author Unknown)
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” (Arthur Ashe)
“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” (Milton Bene)
“Taking initiative pays off. It is hard to visualize someone as a leader if she is always waiting to be told what to do.” (Sheryl Sandberg)
“Taking initiative is a form of self-empowerment.” (Stephen R. Covey)
“Your success is your responsibility. Take the initiative, do the work, and persist to the end.” (Lorii Myers)
“Taking initiative does not mean being pushy, obnoxious or aggressive, but recognizing your responsibility to make things happen.” (Sameer Mathur)
“Genius is initiative on fire.” (Holbrook Jackson)
“Initiative is the privilege of picking yourself.” (Seth Godin)
“It doesn’t matter if a million people tell you what you can’t do, or if ten million tell you no. If you get one yes from God, that’s all you need.” (Tyler Perry)
“Prolonged idleness paralyzes initiative.” (Author Unknown)
“I like to grasp the initiative and not give my opponent peace of mind.” (Mikhail Tal)
“Being proactive is more than taking initiative. It is recognizing that we are responsible for our own choices and have the freedom to choose based on principles and values rather than on moods or condition. Proactive people are agents of change and choose not to be victims, to be reactive, or to blame others.” (Stephen Covey)
“Without initiative, leaders are simply workers in leadership positions.” (Bo Bennett)
Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Know Your Leafy Greens”
Feel free to join us at: http://www.chefshermainesbiblecafe.home.blog Today’s Chef Special Word: “GENERATIONS”
LETS STAY CONNECTED!
Daily Dose With Dr. Shermaine: https://dailydosewithdrshermaine.wordpress.com
Facebook: DrShermaine Franklin-Sanders
Instagram: dr_shermaine / chef_drshermaine
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/dr-shermaine-y-franklin-sanders910019142/
Twitter: Dr_Shermaine
Pinterest: drsys321
Daily Dose With Dr.Shermaine 