Slothful Living
Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.
I spoke to a friend today who was telling me about her recently retired husband. He had been employed as a Professor at a State University after a career in the business world. What he found in the students was heartbreaking (my word not his).
This was a man who had gone to college to learn. He wanted to get everything he could and get to work applying his knowledge to a field where he could make improvements or advancements in technology. He wanted to contribute to the world he lived in.
What he found in the current generation – and by no means all of them, but more than he would have liked — was laziness. Sloth is another word for it. In this case it manifested as a lack of desire to learn, a great desire to have good grades, and to have the appearance of intelligence.
My friend said that the end of every semester there would be arguments with students who wanted a better grade. Her husband would show them their test scores and do the math so they could see he was being honest and fair. Their argument was, “But it would really help me if you changed the grade.”
I have no idea what his response was except that he didn’t change any grades. I can only imagine what my response would have been! “Why should I help you when you won’t help yourself?” I am not at all sure how we have done it but we have raised at least a portion of this generation of people to think that they deserve what they haven’t earned.
The Bible speaks to this sloth or laziness. Nowhere do the scriptures indicate that we can do things sloppily, lackadaisically, or carelessly and expect God to be pleased or honored. Look at these verses that address sloth:
A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 10:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. Proverbs 13:4
Both of these verses tell us that we can choose the way that leads to wealth and a full supply, it is diligence. The “slack hand” and the “sluggard” will know poverty and receive nothing.
The Bible also says, Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger. Proverbs 19:15 and through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. Ecclesiastes 10:18
These verses clearly indicate that sloth or laziness will have consequences. The students at the school where my friend’s husband taught didn’t want any consequences!
There is a clear message here for parents. We have to learn to allow our children to suffer the consequences of their laziness at a young age and take the time to teach them how to work hard, to be diligent in their efforts to do whatever they are assigned. That should include school work and “domestic” chores.
Too many Moms have told me their children are so busy with extracurricular things, sports, drama, church groups, jobs, etc. that they don’t feel they can expect anything of them at home. I’m afraid that raises adults who think that if they work outside the home that they have no responsibilities in the home.
Another aspect of allowing our children to become slothful is that it spills over into all areas of their lives. Not only will they expect their college professors to cover them as their parents did but they will be undisciplined in many areas of life. This will include their spiritual life. They will do what they feel like doing and have no spiritual discipline. Paul said to the Roman Christians in Romans 12:11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
It takes self-discipline to get up on Sunday morning and get to church. If you’re a mother you know it takes even more discipline to get yourself and your children ready. It takes discipline to insist on it if you’re a father. It takes discipline to set aside time each day to pray and read the Bible. It requires extra discipline to do a Bible Study and attend it regularly without making excuses for why not this week.
The definition of sloth is the habitual disinclination to exertion; indolence; laziness. Each one of us needs to look at this word and decide if it describes us or our children. If it does we need to get to work!
Worshipping the Lord in song on Sunday we sang, “In all I do I honor You.” Is it true?