Work Smarter, Not Harder

Ecclesiastes 10:10

  • Some of you know that my brother is a plumber.

    • Early in his career, he would jump into a situation waste deep into sewage to fix a leak or solve a particular problem.

    • His employer at the time appreciated his hustle, but gave him this very great piece of advice: “Work smarter, not harder.”

    • If you stop, think, and assess the situation a little more carefully, you might be able to solve it much easier than before.

    • Indeed, he learned from that and has become an even better plumber as a result.

    • But did you know that that piece of advice is biblical? (Eccl. 10:10).

  • If the ax is dull …”

    • Have you ever used a dull ax before?

    • Maybe not, but how many of you have ever used a dinner knife to cut a steak?

    • It’s tough, isn’t it? If you’re at a restaurant and they forget to give you a steak knife, you’ll ask for one, but before it comes, you use your dinner knife, and it takes so much effort to get the job done.

    • You “must use more strength.”

    • But a wiser man would either wait for the steak knife to come or, if you’re at home, just get a sharper knife (or sharpen the one you have).

    • That’s a mark of wisdom which brings success.

  • When we do the work of the church, it’s always better to work smarter, not harder.

    • There are so many areas where we do this or might be able to do this.

    • The great thing about working smarter is you’ll be able to work more because you won’t be so tired after the first job.

    • It takes wisdom to stop and consider what the best course of action is to carry it out.

    • For instance, when talking to someone about the gospel, we could try having a debate with them, but that would lead to a more adversarial approach, and you’re much less likely to convert the individual. It will take a LOT of effort on your part, but wind up being fruitless in the end.

    • Instead, try asking questions: “What do you mean by that?” “How did you come to that conclusion?”

    • And when they start asking questions: “That’s a very good question. Why don’t we have a Bible study about it?”

    • And of course, we have these Bible studies that will help you to convert people. Trust me, it is far more effective than having debates with people.

    • Just as when my brother was younger and tried brute force over brains, I, too, tried the spiritual equivalent in my younger days.

    • Debating over religion is like trying to chop wood with a dull ax or cut a steak with a dinner knife. You might get the desired result, but it will take so much effort and probably won’t work in the end anyway.

    • As Solomon also wrote: “He who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30).

    • The wiser soul-winner is able to work longer because he’s not working harder, but smarter.

  • What is that gospel we are talking about?