THE FIELD OF THE SLOTHFUL
Proverbs 24:30-34
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
The vineyard is fruitless because it is overgrown with weeds. The good seed that was once there has become choked out by the thorns and nettles.
Notice this seed was not sown in the thorns, but the thorns were allowed to come in and take over.
Had there been any fruit there it would have been eaten up by the beasts of the field, because the fence is broken down.
Thorns and thistles don’t need care. They will come up on their own.
Notice that the writer did not begin to condemn the owner of the field, but considered it and received instruction for himself.
A wise man may even learn from the example of the foolish.
Solomon realized the state of the slothful is not a hard state to fall into. All it takes is nothing. A little neglect here, a little sleep, a little folding of the hands and you are there. Solomon received instruction from what he saw.
An instructor of others must always be open to instruction himself.
All it takes for a relationship to begin to run down is neglect.
All it takes for a house, a car, or a job to suffer is neglect.
Most things that are precious to us require attention and care. Isn’t that right?
We see many times that people come to repentance. Some come to the Lord for salvation and some get baptized and then that’s it. They sit down and wait for Jesus to come. They try to have a relationship with no fellowship. Union without communion.
Friends, this salvation we have is a precious gift. The price Jesus paid was so great we cannot comprehend it, and it deserves and requires our attention.
Thorns and nettles are natural to the soil.
You can work up a piece of ground, dig out all the rocks, chop out all the roots, till it and level it and have it oh so fine. Then something must happen, it must be sown. Choices must be made. If it is neglected and not sown in the desired crop, something will come up.
Ever since Adam fell, sin and unforgiveness are at home in the human heart. They come up naturally. You don’t have to sow them.
Grace, love, forgiveness are the flowers to be sown and cared for.
Once thorns and brambles have taken a piece of land, it is a battle to regain it. They do not give up without a struggle.
Once doubt and unbelief or bitterness take root in a life, it can be a struggle to cast it out.
Once apathy and indifference take root in a church, it can be very difficult to root it up and get it out.
We like to can vegetables and put them away for winter for difficult times, so those times won’t be difficult.
It’s like storing up God’s Word in our heart, and having it there when we need it. Be diligent to know what God promises us about healing while we are well. Planting seeds of health so we can stay well. Be diligent to plant and store God’s Word in our heart, so that when a trial or persecution comes we have His Word to get us through. So when the storm comes we are anchored.
II Peter 1:5-10 tells us that there are things we must add to our faith that will hold us up and keep us from falling. It’s like a builder adding mortar to a wall.
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.
A friend of ours went to Canada to fish. He got there late and wanted to be on the
water at daylight. He launched his boat and secured it to the dock. He put in his equipment. He thought as soon as it was light he would be ready to go. He went to bed. When he awoke and went to his boat, it had sunk. He had neglected one thing: a drain plug.
When your boat is on the bottom, it is little comfort to know it only had one hole in it.
I have been talking mostly to the saved. If you are not saved, let me tell you something. All you have to do to make hell your home is NOTHING.
Hebrews 2:3 tells us, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"
Will you say yes to Jesus and receive His salvation? Will you do something?
Repent and receive.
