Arise Sluggard

"don't drink, curse or chew or go with girls who do."

This was a saying that I used to hear, back in the day. It was usually said as a joke - but only partially. In our day and age we do tend to have certain sins that are viewed as the "big ones." And as long as we don't dabble in those areas we tend to feel safe and righteous. We also tend to turn our noses up at those who have become snared by those "big" sins.

My point in bringing this up is this: we tend to give ourselves a pass on certain sins as if they weren't a big deal, as if they also did not put Christ, the just, on the cross.

One of those sins you may have given yourself a pass on is laziness. It seems not to be that big a deal but what does God think of it? Does He mention it all in His word? Does He give us a pass on this as well? Should we feel safe in our righteousness?
(Warning: this may be meddlesome. Feel free to stop reading.)

Consider some verses from just in the book of Proverbs on the subject:

6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!
6:9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?
10:26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him.
13:4 The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
15:19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.
20:4 A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.
21:25 The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.
22:13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!" or, "I will be murdered in the streets!"
24:30 I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;
26:14 As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed.
26:15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

>>> Clearly, in God's eyes, laziness is a big deal; a sin to be repented of, a scourge to remove from among us, a disease to be eradicated. So...

What is the Biblical antidote? What is God's cure to the disease?

1. A Biblical perspective
2. Good old fashioned discipline

>Get your mind right and get your feet moving.
>Set your mind on the things above and on the task to be completed
Col 3, Phil 3, 1Pet 1:13, Prov 3:5-7
>Fight against the natural instincts & wage war with your members & master them
Rom 6:12-23 & 1Cor 9:24-10:13

I feel safe in saying that the Christian laborer ought to be the hardest working individual on the job. And this applies to all jobs we are given, be that household chores, working at the factory, working on your jump shot in practice, working on your notes in band, working on your homework - Christians ought to be known not only for their love but for their hustle!
Why?

Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
>>> labor hard now my friend, when this life is over there is no more chance for glory. Faith will now be sight. "rage, rage against the dying of the light!"

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
>>> it doesn’t matter what anyone else says, you’re a servant of Christ

Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
>>> we labor to adorn our God and by working hard we magnify Him

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
>>> this gives us motivation for the most mundane of tasks in life. every part of life has potential to glorify Christ, capture these moments

Exodus 20:9-10
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.
>>> it may seem odd to include this but think about it, we are trained to think of working in a 5 day pattern. We like our weekends, our “me time.” For goodness sake, we are the biggest recreational society of all time! But God says to labor 6 days.

Proverbs 2:3-5
For if you cry for discernment,
Lift your voice for understanding;
If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will discern the fear of the LORD
And discover the knowledge of God.
>>> hard work is a requirement for the task. So…

Cowboy up, Son & show thyself to be a man! 1kings 2:2

Let this be a slap in the face that wakes you out of the stupor you have drifted into. Do not feel safe in your slumber but arise and work diligently for the LORD your God is your audience and your judge!

Not only that but, (2timothy 2:3) I thought you were a soldier anyway?