Have you ever been frustrated by having to give counsel to lazy people? Lazy people give endless excuses for their irresponsible choices in life, as this poem from Proverbs illustrates.
Proverbs 26:13–16 ESV “The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!” As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.”This is the third poem on the sluggard from Proverbs. The other two poems are just as amusing and are found in 6:6-11 and 24:30-34. In fact the book of Proverbs has even more references to this type of fool—he is the favorite fool to mock.
A Ridiculous Fear
This first line revisits 22:13, “The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!”” He stays away from work, or finding a job, or life itself because of irrational fear of dangers out there.
What sarcasm—this is an absurd and extreme excuse to avoid work! “Lions in the street,” really! What a fool! Sluggards are of full of such outrageous claims to avoid working and responsibility. Notice also that he is accusing the righteous of killing an innocent man by making him work!
Ever heard stories of lions in the streets? Ever heard preposterous excuses for avoiding life’s responsibilities? Ever heard fantastic reasons why every idea just won’t work in their situation, how their situation is unique to mankind?
Ever heard upside down explanations why others really owe them, and their hard life is because of others? It is other people’s fault, other’s should take care of them and their lifestyle.
Don’t listen to the stories; there is no place for sympathy for a lazy person. And if you really want to help them, you won’t listen to them, even though they will keep on talking.
A Ridiculous Life
The two basics of sleeping and eating illustrate that he is enslaved to thoughts of comfort, “As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.”
The lazy man can’t get himself out of bed, or off the couch. He does as much work as a door on a hinge -- limited range and limited usefulness. He looks like one too, as turns over repeatedly to keep on resting and sleeping.
It is not that lazy people sleep all day necessarily, but that they are given to self-indulgence, ease, frivolity. They don’t take up challenges; they live life aimlessly and like it that way.
He can’t get food into his mouth because its too painful to finish the task. In 19:24, “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.” You might have witnessed people falling asleep at the dinner table such as tired toddlers, which is often cute.
Our example here is not cute, because the sluggard is awake. He got his whole arm into the bowl of food or dipping sauce up to his elbow in fact, which is a good start. But, he can’t motivate himself to lift his hand to his mouth! He doesn’t care!
This story is about being surrounded by God’s plentiful provisions, but not enjoying them, not caring about them, not using them as He intended for His glory and one’s good. Our society is one of plenty, and has plenty of ungrateful people, and often so many who are unmotivated.
A Ridiculous Pride
Lazy people really are like this, convinced of their own wisdom about life. They think they have life all figured out, and will often pontificate on the subject.
The poem concludes, “The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.” Lazy people think they are wiser than seven wise men, meaning wiser than all the rest of the world!
There is little to no hope for the lazy person. They always have something to say about their situation, a different perspective to provide, and a rationale to meet any objection to be offered.
The lazy give endless excuses and will suck you into their irresponsible lifestyle. If you listen to them, they will work on you and you too will end up with a ridiculous life. Stay away from them.
Lampooning the lazy man is an enjoyable pastime of Proverbs, but also for wisdom instruction. Most basically, we should learn to identify and handle those who would divert us from wisdom such as the lazy person.
Spending too much time trying to help the lazy person is a foolish waste of time itself. This is especially the case when the lazy one claims to be a Christian, but won’t do what is right in God’s eyes to honor Christ.
Actually, mocking is probably the best medicine for the fool, though there isn’t much hope for such a person. I have adopted this technique and I think I might have helped a handful of people. Proverbs actually encourages this approach back in verse 5, “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.”
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