Easier to Bark Than to Work

I recently heard about a family that had a Labrador retriever. The dog was trained to pull a wagon, pull a lawn mower, even pull a canoe by the side of a canal. One day, the dog was pulling the lawn mower when he barked at a passerby. The lad who was guiding the mower said, “Don’t mind the dog, he’s just barking for an excuse to rest.”

It’s easier to bark than to work, easier to hinder than to help, easier to criticize than to pull the load. I have learned that those who pull the load seldom take time to play the part of the critic. In the church, there is an 80 – 20 rule. Twenty percent of the people do 80% of the work. I’ve pastored churches where this is sometimes a 90 – 10 rule, where 10% of the people do 90% of the work.

In our walk through life, let’s learn to pull the load and help others. Let’s learn to stop criticizing and jump in and help.

Micah 6:8 – “What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.”

By the Rev. Tommy Herndon