(Prov 26:13 GW) A lazy person says, “There’s a ferocious lion out on the road! There’s a lion loose in the streets!”
This morning we continue our series entitled, “Unlocking the Power of Proverbs – Walking in the Wisdom of God.” For the last 12 verses we have been dealing with the fool. Solomon, being the wisest man in the world during his time on the earth, was obviously a promoter of wisdom. For the next few verses we will deal with the lazy man. From what we have learned form Solomon thus far and what we will learn this week we know that Solomon was also a promoter of hard work. The lazy man in this text does not like to work. He makes every attempt to get out of work and every excuse to keep him from leaving the house. If he can’t find a legitimate excuse, the lazy man will make one up, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. In this case the lazy man, not being able to find any other reason not to go to work, comes up with the outlandish story that there is a lion loose in the city. This way he can obviously excuse himself from going outside, because, of course, if he does, he will be eaten alive on the streets. I have heard some creative excuses over years, but this one is pretty outlandish.
Look at the ingenuity the lazy use when attempting to get out of work. Have you ever noticed how much effort people put into getting out of something? If they put half that effort into the actual work itself, the work would be done. I have seen people go to great lengths to avoid doing something. YouTube is full of videos where people came up with creative ways for avoiding work. But why? Why not just use that creativity in a positive way?
This reminds me of some of the friends I had growing up in Brooklyn who chose the illegal route. Most of them are dead or incarcerated at this point, but I often wondered why they did not use their ingenuity in a legal way. These guys bought a product, repackaged it, marketed it, distributed it, and then sold it for a profit. If they could do this for something illegal, then they surely could have done it with something legal. As I ask myself the question of why, why they chose the illegal route? I believe it was because of laziness. A legal business would have required more start up capital to launch, it would have involved more overhead, and it would have produced far less profit. This means they would have to put in more work to enjoy lavish lifestyles they were seeking. I am extremely thankful for my mother. She instilled in me the value of hard work and making an honest living. While my friends were running their illegal businesses and making upwards of $10,000 a week, I was working in a restaurant 4-5 days a week, making $300-$400 a week, which was more than enough for me at the time. Sure, I was not able to shop where they shopped and I did not have a car like they did, but most of them ruined their lives taking the lazy route. The truth is that laziness is more dangerous than a prowling lion.
So what does this mean to you today? Two things:
1. Learn the value of honest work. God never promised to give you everything on a silver platter. But if you work honestly and diligently, and you honor the Lord with your finances, you will find that you will have more than enough to meet your needs and you will have the added benefit of being at peace with God and yourself. It is extremely satisfying to be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor; fully knowing your labor was honest and earnest.
2. Refocus your energy. You can wreck your life by spending too much time, energy, and effort attempting to get out of things you know you need to do. Determine within yourself to DO what you need to do, WHEN you need to do it, and then DO IT to the glory of God. Believe me, your life will be much more rewarding this way.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for this reminder this morning. I am determined to DO all that I am required to DO, and as I DO it, I ask You to bless me with the insight, revelation, wisdom, and understanding required to DO it well. I refocus my energy today and I use the ingenuity You have blessed me with to accomplish every task efficiently and effectively. Like Daniel, I work with an excellent spirit and You bless the work of my hands. The more I do, the more You bless what I do, and the more I experience Your best in the earth. Every meeting, conversation, and activity I engage in today will bring glory to Your name! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
