Lazy, Slothful, and Sluggardly

July, 2004

by: Jack Hughes

• Common Sins

The Problem of Slothfulness

Many today find themselves living in a frantic technological age, swamped by information overload. Gadgets, inventions, and new computer software constantly challenge us to keep up with the wave of new gizmos flooding the market, most of which are supposed to “make our life easier.” While most Christians might describe themselves as “very busy,” the question that needs to be asked is this, “Are they busy living their life for the glory of God?” Usually the answer is, “No.”

It is difficult to find a group of men who actually want to labor in Bible study. A few are willing to go to a Bible study, as long as it is convenient, but very few are willing to work at growing in their walk with the Lord. They live a life that is both frantically worldly and spiritually lazy. They may work very hard at their jobs, but they seldom share their faith, stand up for the truth, or try to evangelize their co–workers. They are spiritual chameleons blending in with the children of Satan and neglecting to live for God in the world. People like this are very busy spiritual sluggards. A prickly title, but it fits.

There are also those who have reached retirement, those who are not married, and those who are home from college for the summer and these people may have lots of time to do things. The world would have people like this sleep, relax, and fritter away their time on things that have no eternal significance. The easy chair, the couch, and the bed can become your three best friends. If you don't discipline yourself, you can become a Christian three toed sloth.

And then there are always a certain number of youth who have been raised to be lazy. They don't have to make their beds because mom does that, they don't do their laundry, because mom does that, they don't clean the bathrooms, vacuum, cook dinner, do dishes, or take out the trash because mom does those things too. They don't do the yard work, because the gardener does that, they don't wash the car, because the people at the car wash do that, and they don't fix things like leaky faucets, broken appliances, or paint things that need painting because paid professionals do those things. During the school year they may reluctantly do homework, but prefer playing video games, watching TV and hanging out with their friends at the mall. They are like the two daughters of the leech, whose names are “Give and Give” (Prov. 30:15).

But regardless of where you are in life, one thing is certain, God wants you to serve Him every waking minute of every day with all of your heart, all of your mind, all of our soul and all of your strength. Are you doing that? If not, read on.

God Speaks Out Against Laziness

You may have never noticed this before but the Word of God frequently warns us against being lazy.

• Prov. 6:6-11 exhorts the sluggard with these words, “Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest. How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? ‘A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest’ — Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.”
• Prov. 10:26 describes the pain of having a lazy employee, “Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy one to those who send him.”
• Prov. 13:4 references the unsatisfied cravings of the sluggard, “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing…”
• Prov. 15:19 vividly describes the life of a lazy person, “as a hedge of thorns.”
• Prov. 19:24 describes the sluggard's unwillingness to even do the slightest bit of work to feed himself, “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, But will not even bring it back to his mouth.”
• Prov. 20:24 describes the social burden sluggards cause because they will not work or plan ahead, “The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, So he begs during the harvest and has nothing.”
• Prov. 21:25-26 explains how the sluggard's lust for easy and pleasure sends him to the grave, “The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work; All day long he is craving…”
• Prov. 22:13 speaks of the futile excuses sluggards offer, “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!’”
• Prov. 24:30-34 encourages us to reflect on the sad state of the sluggard's life, “I passed by the field of the sluggard And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, And its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. ‘A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest,’ Then your poverty will come as a robber And your want like an armed man.”
• Prov. 26:14,16 describes the sluggard with these words, “As the door turns on its hinges, So does the sluggard on his bed… The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can give a discreet answer.”
• Jesus, in the parable of the talents in Mt. 25:26 has the Master in the story pronouncing judgment on the slave that is described as “lazy and wicked.” He is described that way because he refused to invest what the Master gave in order to make a profit.
• Paul in II Thess. 3:9 gives this exhortation, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”

So it is clear from the Bible that being sluggardly is a sin that God hates and carries with it serious consequences. These Scriptures address the negative side of laziness, now let's look at the positive side.

God Wants Us to Work Hard

The Bible also has much to say concerning the need to work hard and be diligent in one's labors. Prov. 12:27 says, “the precious possession of a man is diligence.”Prov. 13:4 says, “the soul of the diligent is made fat.” In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon says three times that we are to “rejoice in our labors for they are the gift of God” (Eccl. 2:24; 3:12; 5:19). In Eccl. 9:10 God says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” All of these Scriptures might be applied to any kind of work or labor. The Bible is clear, God wants you to be diligent, to work hard, to labor for His glory. Paul in I Cor. 10:31 says, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” The way you do that is through diligent labor and work.

When we get to the New Testament the Scriptures place a special emphasis on a certain kind of work that every Christian is to engage in diligently. Regardless of your profession, God wants you to labor to serve Him by serving others, evangelizing the lost and pursuing holiness. Paul, in Rom. 12:11 speaking about our need to love one another, says we must make sure we are, “not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” In I Cor. 15:58 Paul says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” Here Paul describes the godly Christian as “abounding” and “toiling” in the work of the Lord. Does that describe you? In Tit. 2:14 we read that God saved us to be “zealous for good works.” Would you describe yourself as zealous doing good for the glory of God?

These verses and many others remind us that we are to diligently labor, work, and strive for spiritual ends by spiritual means. This would include striving to excel in the godly disciplines of prayer, Bible reading and study, serving, giving, and evangelism. Paul described his ministry to the Colossians in Col. 1:29 saying, “For this purpose I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” God has given every Christian the mandate and ability to labor and strive for his glory. Are you doing that? You don't have to be a seminary trained missionary to serve the Lord with diligence. It is the calling of every believer to work hard for the Lord wherever they are at.

Examining Your Diligence to Serve The Lord

So you look at your life and you realize that you don't read your Bible very often, you don't pray very often, you are not involved in serving others in the context of the local church, you don't give of your resources, your time, your energy or money. You may be busy but you realize you are running on the devil's tread mill and going no where for the Lord. You are a Christian sluggard. What should you do?

First, confess your sin to God and ask Him to help you be more diligent in serving and worshiping Him. Secondly, evaluate your life. You might want to do this with a godly brother or sister in Christ. Consider how you are spending your time, how you are living your life, what kind of employee, student or retired senior citizen you are. Third, memorize a few of the Scriptures mentioned above and recall to mind when you are tempted to serve your self over God. Finally, make plans to systematically and gradually remedy those areas in your life where you are spiritually lazy. Start with the basic godly disciplines. Strive to get those areas under control. If you do, you will find that everything else falls into place.

Isaac Watts, the great Puritan preacher and hymn writer wrote a poem entitled “The Sluggard” which he wrote after studying what the Bible said about laziness. Watts wrote:

'Tis the voice of a sluggard; I heard him complain—“You have waked me too soon; I must slumber again;” As the door on its hinges, so he on his bed, Turns his sides, and his shoulders, and his heavy head.

“A little more sleep, and a little more slumber”—Thus he wastes half his days, and his hours without number; And when he gets up, he sits folding his hands, Or walks about saunt'ring, or trifling he stands.

I passed by his garden, and saw the wild brier, The thorn and the thistle grow broader and higher; the clothes that hang on him are turning to rags; And his money still wastes till he starves or he begs.

I made him a visit, still hoping to find That he took better care for improving his mind: He told me his dreams, talked of eating and drinking, But scarce reads his Bible, and never loves thinking.

Said I then to my heart: “Hear's a lesson for me; That man's but a picture of what I might be; But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding, Who taught me betimes to love working and reading.”

May God help you to be diligent, hard working, and to labor and toil for His glory wherever you are at in life. May you live every day of your life in such a way that if Christ were to come back you would not be ashamed.