No one demands that he be on the job and punch a clock at a certain hour. The devil is delighted if the preacher lies in bed long after the working man has gone to the factory and the professional man to his office, wasting precious hours that ought to be used in preparing the heart and mind to minister. The preacher is always in danger of doing what comes naturally and just take it easy. In offsetting sloth there must be wise conservation of the hours. After one gets to his study, he can fritter away precious minutes and hours waiting for the mood or inspiration to work.
Few sermons come to the preacher on the wings of inspiration.
George Bernard Shaw is credited with saying that his genius was five per cent inspiration and ninety-five per cent perspiration. About that same ratio holds true in all the work of the minister. Regular and systematic hours to study, and definite plans and methods of Bible study will help one avoid this snare. And the pastor should not only be systematic and businesslike in his study, but in his visitation program as well. It is easy for the minister to be turned into a privileged idler, a social parasite with an open palm and an expectant look.