Being Successful Warnings to the Sluggard Part 1

Being Successful

Warnings to the Sluggard Part I

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!

At least 11 times the Book of Proverbs addresses the Sluggard 

A sluggard is someone who is sluggish – 

They don’t move too fast 

They are unmotivated 

Sluggers are lazy

They give too much time to sleep

Sluggards are not self-motivated and have to have someone motivate them

Warnings to the Sluggard Part 1

Ants don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.

Ants don’t borrow.

Every day they have leftovers.

At the end of the week, they

don’t spend the whole paycheck.

  

The ant is concerned about his future.

The ant lives as if hard times will come,

 times when the supply will not be available.

This is true in our lives;

 it may be sickness, lack of work, etc.

There are times when we need more than

others, like when the car breaks down,

or unexpected bills come in the mailbox.

Life always goes faster than we think and before

long we find it harder to work and want to retire.  

Sluggards refuse to work

Sluggards do not plow in season;

so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

Proverbs 20:4

The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,

because his hands refuse to work.

Proverbs 21:25

Sluggards make excuses

The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!

I’ll be killed in the public square!”

Proverbs 22:13

We all make excuses…

 I am too tired,

I will do it tomorrow,

I will start after the holidays,

The kids took up all my time,

I don’t feel like it,

It’s not my job.

Excuses never get results.

We blame the train for being late, but the fact is we

slept in or we talked too long at the last appointment,

or maybe we just couldn’t get off our media device.

Bottom line, excuses don’t get the job

done even if it gets someone off our back.  

Sluggards live the life out of what they have

They don’t maintain what they have so it depreciates.

I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of

someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere, the

ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.

Proverbs 24:30

Some things you use and throw away.

Paper plates are thrown away after a meal

but the fine china needs to be washed.

There are people who should not buy a house

because they are unwilling or unable to maintain it.

 Proverbs 24:30 reminds us to keep up our yards and homes, a house

should last generations but life can be shortened when neglected.

Houses take time and money on a regular bases.

 Over a few years they can become over whelming when the roof needs

replaced, the house needs painting and it all seems to hit at once.

Many cars engines are ruined because the owner

did not take time to check and change the oil.

If you are the person who stands around when things need to get done…

You may be a Slugger

If you are good at making excuses…

You may be a Slugger

If your grass needs to be mowed or house cleaned or painted…

You may be a Slugger

Every day of our lives needs to be balanced with productivity and rest

How balanced are your days?

Scripture Reading

Proverbs 6:6-11

Go to the ant, you sluggard;

consider its ways and be wise!

7 It has no commander,

no overseer or ruler,

8 yet it stores its provisions in summer

and gathers its food at harvest.

9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?

When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest—

11 and poverty will come on you like a thief

and scarcity like an armed man.