Lesson 5 Proverbs

The Sin of Laziness There are at least 33 condemnations of laziness in the book of Proverbs. Laziness is paired with being unwise and condemned while hard work is paired with wisdom and praised. Today we might contrast laziness with: He is a real “go getter”. She has a “Type A” personality. We might describe someone that is lazy as: “Not worth a plug nickel” “…needing a kick in the pants.”

What does the Bible say? Jesus condemns not using one’s capabilities in the Parable of the talents. Mt. 25 The references in Proverbs can be grouped as follows. Things which keep people from working Traits of a lazy person Natural fruits of laziness Consequences of laziness

Things which keep people from working Too much sleep Pr. 6:10 – “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, little folding of the hands to sleep …” Pr. 26:14 – “As the door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.” Pr. 19:15 – “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.” Pr. 20:13 – “Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.” All of these passages make the point that laying around is not viewed favorably. Jesus makes the point about spreading the gospel that the harvest is great but the workers few. Are we sleeping spiritually?

Things which keep people from working Too much talking Pr. 14:23 – “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” When we are employed. We are being paid to get a job done and not chat about our children or the outcome of the latest sporting event. Our peers need to see us carrying our own weight. Communication through social media fits this category. Every time one checks their Twitter, Snap Chat, Facebook, Tinder … accounts while at work they are distracted and less productive. “It takes an average of about 25 minutes (23 minutes and 15 seconds, to be exact) to return to the original task after an interruption, according to Gloria Mark, who studies digital distraction at the University of California, Irvine.”

Things which keep people from working No Motivation Pr. 19:24 – “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.” Pr. 26:15 – “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.” The sluggard does not see anything wrong with this. Pr. 26:15 “The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.” There is always a reason, an excuse, or last word. Get up and get busy with obeying God’s commands!!!

Things which keep people from working Procrastination Pr. 24:30-34 – “The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.” Ecc. 3:1-8 – “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:….” Strike while the iron is hot. A stitch in time saves nine. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. To him that knows to do good and does it not, it is sin.

Traits of a lazy person He is full of excuses He wastes what he has Pr. 26:13 – “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!’ “ Pr. 22:13 – “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!’ “ Pr. 26:16 – “The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.” He wastes what he has Pr. 12:27 – “The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting…” Pr. 18:9 – “He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.”

The natural fruits of laziness Laziness brings poverty Pr. 13:4 – “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” Pr. 10:4-5 – “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.” Laziness puts one under tribute Pr. 12:24 – “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be forced to labor.”

The natural fruits of laziness Laziness leads to unfulfilled desires Pr. 21:24-26 – “ ’Scoffer’ is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride. The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.”

Consequences of laziness Shame Pr.10:5 – “He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” Obnoxious to others Pr. 10:26 – “As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy man to those who send him.” Gossip 1 Tim. 3:15 – “…besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.”