Scripture:
Proverbs 6:12-15 A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
Observation:
With strong language, Solomon calls out the passive and sluggish person as both worthless and in danger.
Application:
When I read this I get a little uneasy. I mean, I like to chill. I’m ok with a little binge watching on Netflix, a day lounging at the pool, and a day without a long checklist completed. However there is something deeper here. Its not so much a warning against taking a day off as much as it’s a warning against passiveness and Self-serving lethargy. Of all times, we live in a culture in which we don’t even have to get off the couch. We can order a movie, a meal, and even catch up with friends from the same device I am writing this devotional on. It’s scary. If I am not mindful, I can get passive and expect things to be done for me as I point and motion with my facial expressions from afar. This is in fact the motions and actions of a lazy earthly king. However the writer of this is actually a king. Yet he warns his son to not grow up to be lazy. To be an active participant in the ruling and expansion of His kingdom. And now it comes to me…
A few things-
-I have been called to be a co-heir in the Kingdom of God. Not a lazy ruler, sitting on my couch and wasting my life watching Netflix.
-Though I have been given the title of a child of God and royal blood runs through my veins, I must look to the King of Kings’ example on how to reign. Through, sacrifice and service. That is my call.
-I must do less pointing and motioning and more doing, leading, sweating and bleeding in order to step into my calling as a co-heir. I could never earn this title, but I might as well follow the example of the king.
Prayer:
Father I confess a spirit of laziness. I only have to look to my King to know what I am supposed to be doing and the level at which I should be doing it.