Ang Pagbabago ni Juan Tamad

Juan Tamad is a character in Philippine folklore noteworthy for extreme laziness. 

Juan Tamad represents a person who is too lazy to work that even his mind is idle.  He has no dreams in life and too satisfied for what he got. He may be called parasite, too dependent on others, burden, and insensitive.

Proverbs 13:4

Lazy people want much but get little,

but those who work hard will prosper.

Poverty is the result of laziness. Being born in a poor family is not your fault, but to die poor and miserable is yours to blame. Laziness usually results to -

1. Corruption - greed of money and position but unwilling to work hard.

2. Bitterness - blaming others about his poverty and misery.

3. Poverty - stays with the mindset of being poor and unwilling to take action.

4. Crime - it increases because of oppression from the people in the position.

5. Broken Relationships - lack of responsibility and accountability to the family and to self.

John 5:17

But He answered them, "My Father is working until now, 

and I Myself am working."

Our Father (in Heaven) is working, even until to this very day so Jesus works too. Diligence is one of the marks of being a son or daughter of God. Jesus profess that He Himself is working.

According to the Bible, laziness is wickedness, no sense of responsibility and accountability. Like Cain, his offering was not accepted because it reflects the works of his hands and the attitude of his heart. When God asked him, where is your brother?, he answered God, Am I my brother's keeper? He was dull to take responsibility and even his offering to God is a result of his laziness.

Lazy servant is a worthless servant! - Mat. 25:26,30

In tagalog, "walang pakinabang", worthless servants are condemned and punished. Whatever he has will be taken away from him. God's design for us is fruitfulness, multiplication and dominion. But since sins enter into humanity, we lost our destiny and became disorder. Man was not able to rule even over himself which leads to unproductivity and loss of values.

It is about time for us to restore the lost image to Juan Tamad. He was deceived for a long time that's why he remain poor and wicked. He thought of himself as industrious but the truth is he is idle (lazy). He lost his dignity (self-respect) that graft and corruption became part of his value system, which also leads to loss of respect to others, willing to murder over material possessions and position.

Worst thing happen was when Juan Tamad was elected to be part of the public leadership. He led the people to became idle like him by allowing gambling to have easy money, giving away a little amount of money in exchange to "utang na loob" for the next coming election.

Juan Tamad must come to know Christ as personal Lord and Saviour. He needs someone who is dedicated to disciple him, to replace his values with Kingdom (God's) values. Juan Tamad needs to die to his old nature and be transformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. 

Patay na si Juan Tamad! Sya na ngayon si Juan Masipag (may pangarap, masikap, maagap, at higit sa lahat may paninidigan sa kanyang pananampalataya sa Dios, may malasakit sa kanyang kapwa at may pananagutan sa kanyang bayan).

Juan Tamad is just around...he may be found in schools, in your own home, companies, churches, government offices, streets or might be in front of the internet. 

This is a challenge to all of us, if our God is diligent and productive, He works until today, as well as the Son, so are we His followers. 

Daniel 11:32
But the people who know their God will be strong and take action.

Godly people are man and woman of action who is always after the result and increase (fruitfulness and multiplication). 

They always rule because they first rule themselves.

      Tamad (Lazy)                                vs.             Masipag (Diligent)

Palaging nangungutang                                  Nagtatrabaho nag-iipon               

Takot                                                                       Malakas ang loob   

Irresponsible at walang pakialaman          Nakikita ang pangangailangan

Ayaw mahirapan                                              Handang mahirapan

Laging may dahilan                                         Gumagawa ng paraan

Mahirap at pabigat                                          Mayaman at nakakatulong

Gastador (walang value ang pera)                 Good Investor (know 

                                                                          the value of money) 

Habang buhay na nangangamuhan        Naging Boss (amo) like Joseph

When you know your God, you will never remain poor. You will know the correct values in life. Kahit mahirap kang ipinanganak hindi mo na ipapamana sa iyong anak ang kahirapan...magsisikap kang mapag-aral ang iyong anak, at kung ikaw na anak ay ipinanganak sa mahirap na pamilya...magsisikap at magsisipag kang makatapos ng pag-aaral.

HOW TO GET OUT FROM THE CURSE OF POVERTY?

• -Your Fruitfulness starts with your daily walk with God. - Mat. 6:33
• -Your value depend in your identity with Christ not with the material possession. - Jer. 29:11
• -Your relationship with God will lead you to take action. - Daniel 11:32

Ang tunay na masipag ay gumagawa hindi sa kanyang kapahingahan sa hinaharap kundi likas sa kanya ang "mag-produce" at "mag-multiply". Para sa kanya iyon ang halaga at hininga ng kanyang  buhay. Ang kapahingahan sa kanya ay makatulong sa iba mula sa bunga ng gawa ng kanyang mga kamay.

Prov. 10:22 

It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, 

And He adds no sorrow to it.

• Wealth comes from the Lord. He only gives it to the righteous (wise and diligent), 
• He never gave it to the wicked (lazy and fool).

• God is a wise investor. He scatters His seeds to the good soil where He can gather abundant harvest, never to the barren land where His seeds will turn to waste.     

Juan Masipag here he comes...everything his hands do will prosper! 

He will never be the same again!

Prov. 10:4

Lazy hands bring poverty, 

but hard-working hands bring riches.