Lazy People Find Excuses for Their Laziness

Note from today’s Bible reading: 1 Kings 9; 2 Chronicles 8; Proverbs 25-26

It is common to hear people complain about those in our society who do not want to work. While this is certainly a problem, it is not unique to our generation. The wise man, writing in the book of Proverbs about three thousand years ago, described the laziness that he witnessed then.

He said, “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!’” (Proverbs 26:13). Whether a lion was actually there is immaterial. The lazy person was using this as an excuse to justify his laziness. Rather than deal with a perceived threat or obstacle to the work he was to be engaged in, he used it to justify remaining “on his bed” (Proverbs 26:14) and not doing what he should have been doing.

Yet the sluggard deceived himself into thinking he was “wise” for sitting at home and doing nothing. The wise man said, “The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can give a discreet answer” (Proverbs 26:16). Those who do not want to work will often be able to come up with a list of “good” reasons to justify their inactivity. Yet as long as they do this, the threats and obstacles will never go away, and they will never see their situation improve.

So remember that lazy people find excuses for their laziness. We should instead be willing to work hard to carry out our responsibilities. When challenges come, rather than shrink back from them, let us find a solution and keep moving forward.