Articles
Is A Lion In Your Way?
“In the Old Testament a sluggard is one who avoids the action that wisdom requires…In the broadest sense, the OT’s negative judgment on sloth is rooted in God’s purpose in creation, namely, that people be industrious stewards of the earth” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Vol. Four, Bromiley, ed., p. 550). According to Genesis 1:28, Genesis 2:15, and Exodus 20:9 it was always God’s intention for us to be productive in some way, however we are best suited individually (see the varied talents in the parable in Matthew 25:14-30 or the analogy employed in 1 Corinthians 12:14ff). Avoiding work is never considered a noble pursuit in the Bible, and it is given special attention in Proverbs, with no fewer than three poems devoted to it (6:6-11, 24:30-34, 26:13-16) in addition to many scattered sayings (10:26, 13:4, 15:19, 19:24, 20:4, 21:25, 22:13).
I want to focus on just one of these passages about the “sluggard”...
“The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!’ As the door turns on its hinges. So does the sluggard on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can give a discreet answer” (Proverbs 26:13-16).
“A lion in the road…” – How often does this actually happen? The excuses that we make for ourselves may seem reasonable in our own minds, but they are proven totally outlandish in the real world. Of course, the sluggard does not see himself as being lazy! He feels totally justified in staying home or neglecting his work because of the off-chance that a lion might kill him on the way. We do the same thing when we make excuses for our laziness:
I could die in a car accident, so I avoid driving anywhere;
I could have my heart broken, so I do not date;
I could get sick, so I never visit people at the hospital;
I could get robbed, so I never leave my neighborhood for evangelism;
I could get hurt, so I refuse to do manual labor;
I could get lost, so I never leave my comfort zone.
These, of course, are not nearly as outlandish as believing there is a lion in the middle of a city, but should our lives be essentially paralyzed because there is an element of danger in everything we do? The sluggard might argue, “I just don’t like to be pushed, I have a laid-back personality.” But there are plenty of “laid-back” people who achieve great things. It is not a matter of style, but motivation, that is bringing the sluggard to ruin (Proverbs 21:25).
• Should any of us be surprised by how many illnesses people seem to contract on sunny days, or Fridays, or when a big game is on television?
