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- 🙏 Tomorrow = Never. Start today. Proverbs 6:9-11
🙏 Tomorrow = Never. Start today. Proverbs 6:9-11
(2 min read) Proverb of the day visualized
Erick Vargas
May 06, 2023
Good Morning 🙏
This is Proverb Pic, the daily devotional newsletter that helps Christians become wiser in 2 minutes a day.
Proverb of the day
How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
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Meditation
It’s Saturday, the perfect day to get things done. This proverb calls us our when we say we will get to it tomorrow. The diet starts tomorrow. I’ll go to the gym tomorrow. Then tomorrow comes and something else throws off our plans. These verses 9 to 11, calls out the laziness of an individual and warn them about the consequences of their inaction. It contrasts the industrious ant with the human who wastes time sleeping when they should be working.
Verse 9 asks, "How long?" This question implies that the harvest has been ongoing, and if the lazy person doesn't act soon, they will face judgment. This question is a wake-up call for the lazy person to stop wasting time and start working before it's too late. It's a call to action - to rise from sleep and begin work.
Verse 10 transitions from discussing the lazy person's outward behavior to the unseen consequences of their actions. The lazy person might think, "Let me sleep a little more." But this lack of commitment and vague planning is what leads to their downfall. Unlike the diligent person who plans and executes their tasks, the lazy person escapes into sleep to avoid the hardships of life. The passage emphasizes that even a little bit of lost work time can lead to disaster. The image of the lazy person folding their arms across their chest signifies their refusal to work.
Verse 11 illustrates the end result of laziness: poverty. The lazy person isn't just missing out on wealth; they're missing out on basic necessities like food. Poverty, in this case, isn't due to circumstances beyond their control but is a direct result of their own actions. The lazy person's life is compared to that of a vagabond or a thief. Their lifestyle is condemned as they wander aimlessly, trying to steal what they lack. The verse ends by portraying poverty as an armed man, who not only steals but also defends what he's stolen, making it impossible for the victim to retrieve it.
Typically urgency comes with anxiety. Urgency typically produces anxiety because we believe that we might miss out on an opportunity. But Christians have the advantage here. Because God is sovereign and in control, we can move with urgency and yet without anxiety. His sovereignty and care for me allow me to move forward with speed and excitement to fulfill the work he has put in front of me rather than me hanging my identity and self-worth on hitting a home run on this particular at bat.
Overall, this passage sends a clear message that laziness and lack of commitment can lead to dire consequences, such as poverty and loss of basic necessities. It also emphasizes that time is valuable and that every opportunity for work should be seized.
Prayer
Lord, you call us to create, work, and cultivate. Help us to live into our purpose and not sleep away our lives.
Application question
What can you get done today that you have been avoiding?
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