Proverbs 6:9-11—How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a vagrant and scarcity like a beggar.
“Reeenk, reeenk, reeenk! Reeenk, reeenk reeenk!” Oh the obnoxious alarm—that dreaded voice of shrill reason. Hank knows his moment has come to rise. His plan was to read in Proverbs and Acts this morning and to pray before jumping in his Honda Prelude and scooting off to work. But the heart cry of conviction is silenced by the rapid motion of the left hand. “I’ll just snooze a few more minutes then I’ll get up.”
Later, a bolt of thought shoots across his brain. “Oh no! Dang, I’m going to be late!” His feet flip off warm covers. With a rapid turning movement of an unbalanced body trying to wake up, he moves to the bathroom. The chain of events is now set in motion for this day. God had a great word for Hank about patience from Solomon he will miss. At the office, he will react with anger to a critical comment from a colleague. In frustration he will utter words that will cut, causing embarrassment--creating a need to repair a severed relationship.
Spiritually unfortified, Hank’s perspective toward work, people and himself is jaded. When Jill calls to ask if he remembered to pray for her doctor’s appointment, he says “yes” when in fact he forgot in his haste to get to work. As he hangs up, he throws up a quick prayer, “Lord help Jill, You know what she needs.” Then he rationalizes his untruth—he didn’t want to hurt her feelings. The shoulders sag.
Lunch was supposed to be with his accountability partner Phil. But yesterday, he got into an hour-long sports debate with Jerry when he should have worked on his assigned project. Today, behind a pressing deadline, he calls to cancel with Phil. Little does he know that Phil is discouraged—wondering if he is unfit to help because not much seems to be working with Hank. At the end of the day, Hank will look back bemoaning his mistakes while he stays up past
Laziness was never built on beams of bad intentions. But every piece of indolence is warped and results in a finished product devoid of the sheen and substance God intended. The sad line of sloth is always, “I deserve this break.” And break is what indeed happens. For lack of discipline feeds an unmotivated spirit. Are you in the clutches of a hot summer line that makes languishing seem exalted? If so, resolve to get up. Don’t let your love for God be usurped by idleness.
Inspiration
God won’t cure laziness—we have to cure it.—Oswald Chambers in Disciples Indeed
