30 I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
32 When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
(Proverbs 24:30-34 NKJV)
Laziness is one of those things which might seem the most benign of offenses. I mean when you put it up against cheating, stealing, slandering or assaulting it really doesn't look so bad at all. But it is bad. This passage depicts a man who is lazy and without understanding. This is someone who does not comprehend the deeper reasons for his existence. He takes no heed to wisdom because he has never pursued it in the first place. We see the picture of someone who is both a mental and physical sluggard.
I must confess: I am not one of those guys with a neatly manicured lawn accented by lovely flower beds and perfectly trimmed hedges. Well, we don't have hedges, but you get the point. You're not likely to ever see our yard in the pages of Better Homes and Gardens. (Don't get me wrong, our property is not on the blight list either.) There are a few reasons for this. For one, yard work is just not a passion of mine. I do it more by necessity than anything else. Secondly, most folks who have those lush, green lawns pay a pretty penny to have them so. Thirdly, in the scheme of things I just don't see it as worth that much of my time. And there's the rub. Because I don't particularly enjoy it, I tend to place it toward the bottom of my priority list. But there is great wisdom for me in this passage from Proverbs.
My yard says something about me; it is a public display which can either indicate that I take pride in how it looks or I don't really give a hoot. My yard is my responsibility, whether I like it or not. There may be extenuating circumstances which prevent me from attending to it at times, but the bottom line is that no one else is going to do it for me. The condition of my yard and the exterior of my home may also say something about my neighborliness. A nice yard and kept up home can be an expression of hospitality and respect. If done with right motives, yard work can be something we do unto the Lord and because we care about our neighbors. How I spend my time, in general, tells a lot about what is important to me.
The above passage challenges me in the area of using my time wisely. It's interesting that Jesus, in the parable of the sower, spoke of a seed that was choked out by thorns. The seed, he tells us, is the word of YHWH, while the thorns represent the cares of this world. Sometimes my spiritual life can be neglected when I allow worldly concerns to consume too much of my time. What a waste of a field if I allow it to be overgrown with thorns and nettles, rather than abundant with crops that will provide not only for my family, but others in need. What a waste of life if I fail to set priorites and fritter away the precious time the Lord gives me. Poor planning and poor use of time will eventually lead to being poor. One who is lazy not only fails to consider the well-being of his family and their future, but also fails to store up treasure in heaven.
May each of us be diligent and use our time wisely that we may live productive lives that bear fruit for the blessing of others and to the glory of the Lord of the Harvest.
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
32 When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
34 So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
(Proverbs 24:30-34 NKJV)
Laziness is one of those things which might seem the most benign of offenses. I mean when you put it up against cheating, stealing, slandering or assaulting it really doesn't look so bad at all. But it is bad. This passage depicts a man who is lazy and without understanding. This is someone who does not comprehend the deeper reasons for his existence. He takes no heed to wisdom because he has never pursued it in the first place. We see the picture of someone who is both a mental and physical sluggard.
I must confess: I am not one of those guys with a neatly manicured lawn accented by lovely flower beds and perfectly trimmed hedges. Well, we don't have hedges, but you get the point. You're not likely to ever see our yard in the pages of Better Homes and Gardens. (Don't get me wrong, our property is not on the blight list either.) There are a few reasons for this. For one, yard work is just not a passion of mine. I do it more by necessity than anything else. Secondly, most folks who have those lush, green lawns pay a pretty penny to have them so. Thirdly, in the scheme of things I just don't see it as worth that much of my time. And there's the rub. Because I don't particularly enjoy it, I tend to place it toward the bottom of my priority list. But there is great wisdom for me in this passage from Proverbs.
My yard says something about me; it is a public display which can either indicate that I take pride in how it looks or I don't really give a hoot. My yard is my responsibility, whether I like it or not. There may be extenuating circumstances which prevent me from attending to it at times, but the bottom line is that no one else is going to do it for me. The condition of my yard and the exterior of my home may also say something about my neighborliness. A nice yard and kept up home can be an expression of hospitality and respect. If done with right motives, yard work can be something we do unto the Lord and because we care about our neighbors. How I spend my time, in general, tells a lot about what is important to me.
The above passage challenges me in the area of using my time wisely. It's interesting that Jesus, in the parable of the sower, spoke of a seed that was choked out by thorns. The seed, he tells us, is the word of YHWH, while the thorns represent the cares of this world. Sometimes my spiritual life can be neglected when I allow worldly concerns to consume too much of my time. What a waste of a field if I allow it to be overgrown with thorns and nettles, rather than abundant with crops that will provide not only for my family, but others in need. What a waste of life if I fail to set priorites and fritter away the precious time the Lord gives me. Poor planning and poor use of time will eventually lead to being poor. One who is lazy not only fails to consider the well-being of his family and their future, but also fails to store up treasure in heaven.
May each of us be diligent and use our time wisely that we may live productive lives that bear fruit for the blessing of others and to the glory of the Lord of the Harvest.
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