The Enemy of Men

Whining to a wise friend about passivity the other day, he said to me, "The enemy of men is inaction."

Adam's curse following a bitter failure in Eden was that he would have to work. Not that there wasn't work to do before the failure, but perhaps that the simple work like submitting to the proper authorities, speaking truth, and confronting sneaky snakes was neglected, so now harder work was required. Whereas in a state of full communion with God Adam was allowed to eat from almost any tree in the garden, now he would only eat "by the sweat of his brow." It's as if we were designed to work; where working brings thriving and passivity brings pain.

The tribulation continues today. Men who don't do their work, whether it be physical or emotional, suffer from their inaction, as does anyone associated with them. Men who won't face their demons are slowly devoured by them. Men who lean into the couch rather than the plow end up with not much in their hands.

Resting however, is not the same thing as refusing to work. Resting is the necessary precurser to fruitful work. Not resting enough makes you think you're God. But when resting, eventually a shift happens where further delay and lack of decision just eat your lunch, whether in relationships or life. Do you know the line for yourself? What work have you been avoiding lately?

Unsplash Hennie Stander