Proverbs 22.13 NLT




The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there! If I go outside, I might be killed!”
I love this wonderful book of Proverbs. There is so much blunt truth, and here the writer laughs his socks off at the lazy person who has always got an excuse for doing nothing. On this particular day he fears that there may be a lion outside, and is concerned that he may get killed. He considers that he’s got the perfect excuse for staying at home and doing nothing.
The writer of these Proverbs spends a lot of time reflecting on lazy people, because he was so fearful of the disease of laziness. He saw that it led to poverty and distress, and was keen for everyone to focus their attention on ants, who were the exact opposite. In Proverbs 6.6 he wrote, “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise!” Ants are always busy and effective in their work, and we can all learn from them.
I’m not accusing you of laziness – I’ll leave you to reflect on the issue. Although I’m inclined to think that we all have areas of our lives where we can let laziness creep in – but maybe that’s just me! However, it’s good for us to recognise that God has got work for us all to do, and he wants us to be fully engaged with it. He would never want us to be overworked, because that is another route to ineffectiveness. He wants us to work effectively because, in that way, we will find the fulfilment and wholeness that he intends for us.


Everything in Proverbs is focused on encouraging us to live wisely, which means living in a way that is in line with God’s will and which, therefore, leads to his blessing. The writer does everything he can to explain how wonderful it is to embrace the path of wisdom. In Proverbs 3.13-15 he writes, “Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.” No wonder he is so anxious that people shouldn’t waste their lives on being lazy!




Question: Are you ever lazy and, if so, what do you learn from the book of Proverbs?
Prayer: Lord God, help me to learn the lessons from the ants, and to work effectively for you. Amen

Released on 26 May 2022