Laziness
Do you like to be called lazy? Of course not. Who would? But would you believe that
the Holy word of God calls somebody lazy? Well, it does.
So let’s start with pointing our fingers to someone who was described in the Bible as
lazy - this is the safe start.
Titus 1,12-13 : "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony
is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they mey be sound in the faith."
Paul was edmonishing some people in the island of Crete, were he left Titus to look
after the Christian churches there. Those people were, as Paul put it "insubordinate,
both idle talkers and deceivers..." (1,10)
According to this Scripture, laziness is firstly described as rebellion - those idle talkers
were called "insubordinate", secondly they were called deceivers. Very strong words for
those that were ready to talk a lot but did really nothing worthwile for the church of
Jesus Christ, but trouble and divissions. Sounds familiar?
Where does the laziness come from? From the love; love of flesh. Not from the
Spirit. He gives us rest not to be lazy to be free from the things that have no value, no
meaning, to be able to do more for Him, for His kingdom; the things that will be our
heavenly treasures.
Mtt 25,26 - Jesus’ parable about the servants with talents.
To the one who was given one talent but did nothing, only hid it in the ground, Jesus
said: "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown,
and gather where I have not scattered seed..."
Lazy servant is called wicked - Revelation says that the wicked will be thrown into the
lake of fire, e.g. eternal separation from God. So it is not just a question of WELL-I-
JUST-DO-NOT-FEEL-LIKE-DOING-ANYTHING...
It is a matter of being in or out. When Jesus said: "Follow me" - He did not envite the
12 for a picnic but it was a job asignement; or we might say He was actualy enlisting
them into the army And it was even more than full time job. It was 24 hour service life-
time calling. New Testament calls all of us the disciples of Jesus Christ. We are called
into the life time service, not life time sitting-doing-nothing Christianity.
Let’ s have a look into the Old Testament, what does it say about laziness. Laziness is
unnatural state and it brings destruction:
The book of Proverbs is of course the richest source of verses about laziness.
Proverbs 6,6: "Go to ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways (hm, I did not know the
ant is a woman) - and be wise. Which, having no captain, overseer or ruler provides
her supplies in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you
slumber, o sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little
slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep - so shall your poverty come on you
like a prowler, and your need like an armed man."
13,4: "The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the dilligent
shall be made rich."
15,19: "The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the
upright is a highway."
21,25: "The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labour."
24,30: "I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid
of understanding; and there it was overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered
with nettles. Its stone wall was broken down."
Ecclesiastes 10,18: "Because of laziness the building decays, and through idleness
of hands the house leaks."
In the Bible church is often called the house of God, or is portrayed as the building and
we are the living stones; we are part of this structure. But because of laziness the house
of God decays. Even in this spiritual structure, the body of Christ, there is a need for
constant maintenance, constant repairs, constant care of all of its parts, its sides - from
inside as well as from the outside.
1 Peter 2:5says: "You also, like living stones, are being built into spiritual house to
be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ."
Idle hands will cause the house to leak.
It reminds me of Tony Campollo (I think it was him, who said it). People often pray:
"Oh, God, we need your help, we need your power. Oh, dear Lord, please fill us with
your power because without you we cannot do much, we cannot do anything. Oh, please
fill us with your Holy Spirit... Fill us, Lord, oh fill us Holy Ghost...."
And what the Holy Spirit of God answers to many such prayers. "I would fill them, but
they leaaaaak!!!"
Maybe because of the idle hands.
Have a look in Judges 18,9.
The tribe of Dan was looking for their portion of the promised land, they checked one
particular part of the country, where still some Canaanites lived and they approached
their countrymen:
"So they said: Arise, let us go up against them. For we have seen the land, and
indeed it is very good. Would you do nothing?! (Are you lazibones, would you just sit
here waiting until that country will come to you, or what?) Do not hesistate to go, and
enter to possess the land."
Laziness can block you, stop you from entering into the promises of God. It can prevent
you from enjoying the full blessings that Jesus won for you on the cross. If you sit
down, the blessings will not come to you, you have to enter into the graces of God.
On the other hand we have a verse that says:
Hebrews 6,12: "that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through
faith and patience inherit the promises."
Oposite of sluggishness is here faith that inherits the promises. It is an active faith; faith
that stands up and goes into the territories that have not been discovered yet; into the
portions of the promised land that have been given by God, but must be possesed by the
believers. Those that will stand up in faith, those will inherit the promises. But no one
will make you to stand up and walk in faith; you have to do it for yourself. Maybe you
say: But I am tired, I an not really a spiritual warrior, I am not into that stuff.
Well, listen what the Bible says in
Proverbs 24,10: "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Deliver
those who are drawn toward death."
In other words, do not be lazy just because you are weak and you think you can’t do
much. If you say: I can’t really do much why should I bother then to do anything.
Even when you are weak, even when you do not feel like it, do not be lazy in helping
your neighbour. And it says, deliver those that are drawn toward death - eternal. You
can alsways help people to get saved - you do not need to be fit and strong and healthy
and rich, and....I don’t know what, - to do that.
What ou need to be is only willing.
God is calling you today again. Will you go out and be Jesus to those who are lost?
Amen.
