Week 6 of 10
Work & Diligence
Work in Proverbs is purposeful effort across every domain of life — not just your occupation.
Opening Discussion
- Looking back over your life, what's the most important work you've done that nobody paid you for?
- Proverbs doesn't describe the sluggard as a lazy man — it describes a man who drifts in small increments. A little sleep, a little slumber. Where in your life right now do you feel the most drift happening?
- Proverbs 2 describes seeking wisdom like digging for hidden treasure — active, effortful, intentional. How deliberately are you pursuing wisdom and understanding at this stage of life compared to earlier years?
Supporting References
Proverbs 2:1-4
Seeking wisdom like silver and hidden treasure
— Cause & Effect —
Proverbs 10:3-6
Proverbs 21:5
— Sloth & Laziness —
Proverbs 26:13-16
Proverbs 21:25-26
— No Prosperity Gospel —
Proverbs 19:20-22
Proverbs 16:6-9
— How to Seek —
Proverbs 4:1-7
Proverbs 18:15
— Closing Passage —
Proverbs 24:30-34
The ruined field: first-person observation
Cross-References
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Paul's model of diligence; the busybody warning
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
Enjoy life fully; work with all your might; the window closes
Key Questions
- How do you see the difference between Wisdom, Knowledge, and Understanding? How does Proverbs distinguish them?
- What does seeking or pursuing them look like to you in your life — or in Christians you admire?
Closing Questions
- Looking at the four quadrants we covered — diligence, sloth, God's sovereignty, pursuing wisdom — which one convicted you most today and why?
- Ecclesiastes says enjoy your wife, your food, your life — and do it all with all your might. When you look at how you're actually spending your days right now, does that description fit? What would need to change for it to?
Guiding the Discussion
This week is about more than employment. Proverbs presents diligence as a way of living faithfully before God. Keep the discussion from becoming limited to careers or retirement. The contrast between diligence and laziness is often revealed through everyday habits rather than major decisions. Encourage participants to think about areas where they have become passive or distracted and where God may be calling them to renewed faithfulness. Small patterns often reveal much larger directions.