The Sluggard

    Read Proverbs 26

Solomon doesn’t hold back on his terminology.  A fool, a sluggard, a gossip—all are labeled according to their mindset and conduct.  Let’s spend a little time on the sluggard.  What a name!

A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,

    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

What do lions have to do with sluggards?  They can be the excuse of the day or the week or the month depending upon how long people buy into the nonsense.

The sluggard is most likely responding to someone telling him to get off of his butt and find a job.

But there’s a wild lion out there.  Who knows what might happen if I venture from my bed, much less my house.

This brings us to the guy in my neighborhood that is always wanting to borrow my lawnmower.  I have told him no a dozen times.  The last time he asked, he also asked why.  Why wouldn’t I loan him my lawnmower?

I told him it was because the train doesn’t run between Mangum and Dallas anymore.

He gave me a crazy look and said, “What does that have to do with loaning me your mower?”

I said, “Nothing, but if I am not going to give you what you want, one excuse is as good as another.”

And so it is with the sluggard.  One excuse is as good as another.  In the current century, the sluggard might say, “There are murder hornets out there.”  He might be right, but the fact that somewhere out there are mean insects with a powerful sting is no reason to put your life on hold.

Just for clarification, I don’t even own a lawnmower.  I usually get someone who needs work to cut my grass.

The sluggard has likely convinced himself in his own mind that the prospect of stepping outside of the house is too dangerous.  We know it’s malarky, but to the sluggard, it’s gospel.

As a door turns on its hinges,

    so a sluggard turns on his bed.

This leaves plenty of room for creative interpretation, but I will go with the obvious.  The sluggard is attached to his bed, as is a door to its hingers.  His movements are restricted to his point of lest exertion.  Get too far out of bed, and you may have to address the truth.

What truth?

That getting out of bed didn’t kill you.  That there is life out there.  That work might even be possible.  Better to just stay in bed than confront the truth.

Try this one on for size.

A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

Someone has brought this pitiful creature his food but it’s just too much work to lift his spoon to his mouth.  Surely, there is some hyperbole here.  Surely, this is exaggerated just a bit? Or not.

I have talked with many people who are without work and in need of food and money to pay bills and won’t come to my office.  I tell them that if they will get here, I will give them a ride home with their food.

I’m often told that they are too busy.  Too busy doing what?  They have no job.  They are not out looking for a job.  There are five adults in the house, and of course, none have a job.  The kids are in school, so it’s not like mom has to be there to watch them or one of the other five adults couldn’t watch the kids or come to my office. They are too busy.

A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;

    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

Maybe this isn’t hyperbole.

I have helped many people with food and bills and they are actively looking for a job, do all of the implied tasks in something I tell them to do, don’t quit at the first obstacle.

Those folks are a joy to help.  I pray with them and hope they come to better circumstances and often talk to them about what God says about work and money and tithing and blessings.

I can only shake my head at the modern-day sluggard. I think these quips of wisdom are as much for me as they are for anyone.  Don’t make it your burden when the people are too lazy to help themselves.

It’s never just that easy as often the sluggards have children and the children need water—hot water would be nice—so they can stay clean.  Sometimes I am amazed that the modern-day sluggards had the energy to make babies.

I will wrap up with verse 16.

A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes

    than seven people who answer discreetly.

Here the sluggard’s mindset puts him in league with the fool and even the gossip.  I am the only one who knows what’s going on here.

You have no job, except to beg for food and money.

You have no motivation to improve yourself, yet you discount the efforts of others.

You have disdain for the help you receive because someone always could have done more.

You are a pitiful creature, but none of your circumstances are due to your own decisions.

You will not take responsibility for your life for therein lies the truth and solutions to your circumstances and you don’t want to let go of your delusions.

I used the second person here, but I am likely not talking to you.  You, however, need to be on the lookout for not only the fool and the gossip, but for the sluggard as well.

The sluggard won’t put out much effort to help himself but will exert some energy to con you into helping him.

Solomon’s counsel is for us. The fool, the sluggard, and the gossip don’t want anything to do with wise counsel.  This counsel is for us. What do we do?

Much like with the fool, you just don’t play the game.  When the sluggard is singing poor, poor pitiful me, you don’t join in the next chorus.  Leave them to their delusions, except to challenge them to leave them behind for the truth.

Leave the ball in their court.  Come see me at 2 tomorrow afternoon and we will see if there is not a better way to handle things.

Bring all of your documentation on your income and expense, and let’s make a budget.

Go get a job, then come see me about how to keep it and get promoted.

There is a military adage that says reinforce success.  The sluggard knows this.  He wants you to commit to doing things that he can do himself.  Don’t do it. Getting you to do what the sluggard can do for himself is success in his eyes.

Always leave the ball in his court.  Require productive effort on his part to engage your participation.  Don’t be manipulated.

Solomon talks harshly about fools, sluggards, and gossips.  His counsel is don’t play their games.  Don’t be manipulated.  His counsel is for you.

The fool, the sluggard, and the gossip are not looking for instruction or discipline.  You who are seeking God’s wisdom are.

Stick to your purpose.  Ignore and rebuke in most circumstances.  Don’t be manipulated.

But what about love?

Love is providing only positive avenues—positive alternatives—for the fool, the sluggard, or the gossip to turn to if they really want to change the way they live.

Reinforcing existing bad behavior is not love.  In fact, it gets in the way of real love.

You have purposeful things to do.  The Spirit that lives inside you will tell you when someone is trying to make genuine change.  Until then, stay the course.  Live out the purpose God gave you.

As difficult as it sounds, you will be known by your love even when it is to remain on course and not be distracted by those who have forsaken their God-given purpose.  We don’t give up on them but we don’t help them stay in their ridiculous predicaments by reinforcing absurd behavior.

There is some good news here.  Most of the people that we are called to minister to are not fools, sluggards, or gossips.  They are just lost.  Share the truth with them.  Let them see God’s light shine within you.  Be known by your love.

The lost are much more fertile soil than the fool, gossip, or sluggard. You may have to deal with apathy and ambivalence, but most are not fools, gossips, or sluggards. Share the good news with all but watch out for attempts to manipulate you by some.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.

Be known by your love.

Do not be distracted by those who would lure you into their games.

Do not be manipulated.

Press on towards the goal that God has given you.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith.

 

Amen.