Tiny Devotional for Monday, 04-22-2024

A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family who might drop by, overcooked chicken wings are in the refrigerator.

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside;
I will be killed in the streets!”
Proverbs 22:13, NASB


Sigh. I kid you not: this morning, I had decided I was going to deeply study the verse, defining Hebrew and the Greek words, and provide spiritual insights. And what do I get? The most transparent statements about laziness in the world. 

Who could misunderstand the message here? Mr. LazyBones will fabricate any excuse to avoid having to go to work. Admittedly, there were times when I was gainfully employed that I wished for a snow day,  but I never stooped to the level of pretending predatory cats were lurking to eat me. 

Depending on circumstances, we might not miss Mr. LazyBones' labor when he goes back to bed. If only his antisocial behavior stopped with laziness; but it DOESN'T stop there. He still has bills to pay, food to buy, and trash to be taken to the dump. Q: If he goes back to bed, who does that? A: His family, friends, relief organizations, and strangers in the street. 

His next deviance is becoming a daughter of the leech, crying 'Give, give,' and never being satisfied. 

Are we responsible to provide for Mr. LazyBones? That's easy: NO! But how do we distinguish between need due to laziness, and need due to circumstances beyond control? That takes time and energy, but it's the only way to be sure. 

We MUST give, but do so wisely (the hard part).

BTW: The Hebrew word translated here as 'lion' is אֲרִי (ari), and it means: lion. Great spiritual insight, huh?

Peace be on your household.

Comments

  1. Jesus SavesApril 23, 2024 at 8:47 AM

    Another good insight. Praise God my Brother Pat!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousApril 23, 2024 at 8:55 AM

    Great insight! I like how PJ put it not too long ago. When giving to a giver, they will be willing to put in some work to move forward and the taker will sit back and allow you to give give give while they are not willing to put forth any effort to move from the place they're in.

    ReplyDelete

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