The Sluggard

“How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep” - Proverbs 6:9

Proverbs plumbs the depths of the sluggard’s laziness and comes to the conclusion that he needs to “go to the ant and consider her ways” (Proverbs 6:6).

Who isn’t familiar with this guy? He is a professional for explaining why the job didn’t get done. He hates the clock. It’s a formidable foe, and the conviction from the chronometer is more than he can bear. It reminds him of deadlines which he never meets. It tells him that he has slept long enough and it’s time to rise, but he can’t because he’s “hinged to his bed” (Proverbs 26:14). Life is just one big siesta. Time is never on his side but always on his back. Excuses for unfinished projects abound. He talks of work, but the horsepower of his mouth is never translated to his hands. He is idle, lazy, and slothful. He is in fact a sluggard!

A casual glance at Proverbs will show that God has no small dislike for laziness. Diligence is exalted as a virtue and should transcend every area of our lives. When diligence reigns in eating, one is able to say no to the cake that calls, the pie that pleads, the bread that begs, or the dessert that dares. When diligence is not at the helm in the home, then the hand that could turn the wrench turns on the tube, and in the wake of such decisions lay unfinished projects, still unfinished. When diligence is lacking in business, the seeds of procrastination take root and the fruit of delay is not far from harvest. “The boss is gone. It can wait until tomorrow. It’s not all that important anyway.”

Unfortunately, the saddest sluggard has not been yet addressed. He is not easy to spot. As a matter of fact he is paradoxically disguised by his diligence. He is diligent in his business, works well around the house. The shine on his car and the well-manicured lawn will testify to this. But he is a sluggard. His Bible would flinch with pain if it were ever opened, that is, if he could find it. His prayer life is virtually non-existent. When asked to do something for the glory of his Sovereign rather than praise of himself, the former is dismissed with the ever-present excuse, “I’m too busy,” and God is again placed on the back burner. But that’s okay. He can take the heat. The question is, can the sluggard? That’s the way I see things.