It has been so fun going through Proverbs together! I cannot wait to share with you some treasures in Proverbs six. If you are just now joining us and want to catch up, I got you! Here are the previous posts:
Now let’s dive in!
Honestly, if you take the instruction of this Proverbs I think it is going to put some pep in your step, and help you make some decisions that you might have been putting off for quite some time. This chapter addresses an issue that this generation who is obsessed with sloths tends to struggle with, laziness!
The chapter starts out strong by talking about if you get stuck in any kind of binding contract situation that you do not need to be in, it gives the advice in verse 3, “QUICKLY get out of it if you possibly can! Swallow your pride, get over your embarrassment, and go tell your “friend” you want your name off that contract. DON’T PUT IT OFF, and don’t rest until you get it done. Rescue yourself from future pain and be free from it once and for all. You’ll be so relieved that you did!”
I know for those of you who do not like confrontation this verse is one you want to sprint over, but there is so much wisdom in this. The passion version just really lays it right out in front of you. What is the hard phone call you need to make? I used to have a hard time making these kind of moves myself, but I was at a leadership conference once Craig Groeschel said something that helped me not to put off things that I knew might be hard for me to do. He said, “Surgery hurts, but death hurts worse.” Essentially, it is hard to make a decision to cut something out or someone out in your present even though you know it may hurt your future, but the price you pay by not cutting out what you need to will kill your business, dream, relationship, and really just anything that it touches.
Verses 6-11 also address the issue of laziness and it is a good life lesson.
Life Lessons
When you’re feeling lazy,
come and learn a lesson from this tale of the tiny ant.
Yes, all you lazybones, come learn
from the example of the ant and enter into wisdom.
The ants have no chief, no boss, no manager—
no one has to tell them what to do.
You’ll see them working and toiling all summer long,
stockpiling their food in preparation for winter.
So wake up, sleepyhead. How long will you lie there?
When will you wake up and get out of bed?
If you keep nodding off and thinking, “I’ll do it later,”
or say to yourself, “I’ll just sit back awhile and take it easy,”
just watch how the future unfolds!
By making excuses you’ll learn what it means to go without.
Poverty will pounce on you like a bandit
and move in as your roommate for life.
This is one of those moments I am just going to let Solomon, the writer of proverbs, have a mic drop and ask y’all not to kill the messenger. Act as if Solomon is your mentor right now and take that advice to heart, because it will help you fulfill your purpose on a day-to-day basis. Verse 11 is something I want to highlight – reread it.
When my little brother turned 16 he is a very good example of who this is talking to. My parents told him that if he worked hard in school and met a certain grade point, then they would bless him with a car. It was not an impossible grade point to reach. I would say it was pretty grace filled if you ask me. Well, he turned 16 and did not have the grades, so he did not get the car. Keep in mind, my brother is an incredibly talented, smart, and creative guy and my parents and our whole family see that potential in him. Because of that, they then extended it and said whenever you reach these grades we will get you the car. It has been almost two years with the same offer on the table, and he still has not made the grades, so he does not have the car and the only thing standing in between him and this car is his own laziness and excuses. I want to ask you, what is your car? What is the thing that could be the very thing that takes you to the next place in life, but the lack of a little work is hindering you from reaching? “By making excuses you’ll learn what it means to go without” is very true.
Throughout the whole bible it talks about not being lazy. Romans 12:11 “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically! Wake up sleepy heads! You all have purpose to walk in every single day!”
XO,
Sadie
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Wow, Sadie, your question at the end, “What is the thing that could take you to the very next place in life, but the life of a little work is hindering you from reaching?” I immediately came up with an answer, which just pushed me to admit that enough is enough. It is not that this goal is impossible but that I’m not willing to put in the work to get it. And that’s called laziness. Thank you for the spiritual kick in the rear, Sadie…your girl needed that lol
I just loved this discussion on the Proverbs. It is so true that we have a part in taking the next step in our journey of life along with God’s help! You have to be willing to follow his lead!