This is what happened in 1623 when William Bradford, the Governor  of the Plymouth Colony, wrote in his memoirs, “Of Plymouth Plantation.” Bradford was a wise man who noticed that the results of forcing settlers into a communal system was destructive to the colony. He noted that when land and crops were shared equally, it caused widespread discontent. The colony was suffering from food as many, especially the younger men, had become they expected others to work, while they became lazy, which led to food shortages that wrecked havoc on the early settlement. This is why Bradford wrote in 1623, that he decided to abandon  the collective arrangement which today we recognize as Socialism/Communism. So he assigned private land plots to each family, which greatly increased productivity and food supplies. By installing Capitalism, an economic resurgence began that saved the colony.  

Men never learn from the past, and today after 60 years, we are seeing the results of our government moving into an economic system that rewards laziness. In order to keep in power, politicians continually use the concept of redistribution to supply everything a citizen needs to survive from cradle to grave. As time went on the whole segments of our society has gotten lazier and lazier from generation to generation. Like the men of Plymouth Colony decided, so too are men doing today. Why should you work if you can just walk up to the trough and eat as you will without ever breaking a sweat? 

The number of citizens in the United States receiving some sort of assistance from the government today is over 170 million, or 50% of the population. Do some of these people need help to survive at times? Absolutely. I’m not against food stamps. I know their are those who truly need help, but we need to remember the wisdom offered by the Scriptures, and top allowing the lazy to be grouped with those truly in need. Like it was in 1623, those feeding off others’ sweat is killing the society we live in as a whole. Laziness is the biggest problem in America, not poverty.

The Bible tells us that if you wont work you should not eat. Was Paul referring to those truly in need? NO! He was writing about those able to work, who refused to work and instead they leaned on others for their sustenance. I guess what I’m trying to say is that humans are inherently lazy and when you offer them free stuff to survive, they become just as lazy as the dolphins off Florida became, and the Bears in Yellowstone Park who also became lazy from being fed by tourists. Humans and animals alike will become lazy and count on others to care for them if they are not forced to learn to work for their survival.

God warns us of the consequences of being lazy, it’s right there in the Scriptures. God bless you all, and have a great day.

Proverb 13:4 (NKJV)
Wisdom Loves Righteousness

01 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
00 But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

02 A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,
00 But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
03 He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
00 But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

04 The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
00 But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.

05 A righteous man hates lying,
00 But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.
06 Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless,
00 But wickedness overthrows the sinner.

07 There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing;
00 And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches.

08 The ransom of a man’s life is his riches,
00 But the poor does not hear rebuke.

09 The light of the righteous rejoices,
00 But the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

10 By pride comes nothing but strife,
00 But with the well-advised is wisdom.

11 Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished,
00 But he who gathers by labor will increase.

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
00 But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

13 He who despises the word will be destroyed,
00 But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
00 To turn one away from the snares of death.

15 Good understanding gains favor,
00 But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
16 Every prudent man acts with knowledge,
00 But a fool lays open his folly.

17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
00 But a faithful ambassador brings health.

18 Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction,
00 But he who regards a rebuke will be honored.

19 A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul,
00 But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil.

20 He who walks with wise men will be wise,
00 But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

21 Evil pursues sinners,
00 But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
00 But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

23 Much food is in the fallow ground of the poor,
00 And for lack of justice there is waste.

24 He who spares his rod hates his son,
00 But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

25 The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul,
00 But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.