THINK TOGETHER.
Do you like to take rests?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 24:33-34. 33A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 34and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
These verses are a repeat of Proverbs 6:10-11, which we already looked at back on March 11. On that day we talked about poverty. We learned what poverty is and why the wise person must have a balanced view of what makes a person poor.
For sure one of the things that can make a person poor is too much sleep and too much slumber. Solomon isn't saying that sleep and rest are bad. He's saying that too much sleeping, slumbering, and resting can be bad. When all you want to do is rest and never work, well, that is a big problem. When you refuse to work, but fold your hands instead, that is not wise or loving to your fellow workers.
Worse yet, the person Solomon is describing is fooling themselves into thinking that they are OK. They only see it as a little bit of sleeping, or just a little bit of resting. No big deal. Or is it?
Solomon says that poverty comes like a robber. For Solomon poverty meant not having the basics like food and shelter. For you it might mean seeing your grades get worse and worse, or your room get messier and messier. The problems come little by little when we become just a "little bit" lazy. The next thing you know you have a big job ahead of you cleaning up, or getting your school work done. Suddenly things feel overwhelming...Oh no! I can't do it all, you cry!
The principle here is that sin sneaks up on us doesn't it? That's why it is so important to let the Holy Spirit inside of you warn you when sins like laziness are sneaking in. How does the Holy Spirit warn us? When we pray, and when we listen to his word, the Bible (like the book of Proverbs), and when we listen to other Christians that we trust who can also warn us along the way.
Because of Jesus we don't have to be fooled by sin.
With Jesus we can watch out for sins like laziness that are sneaking in.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Are there any sinful habits sneaking into your lives? How can you warn each other lovingly and gently?
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, sometimes I get lazy and don't want to do my work. Help me to keep going little by little trusting you along the way. Amen.
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