Sloth or laziness #3

Yesterday we looked at what being a sloth or lazy is not so today lets look at what the effects are of being lazy or slothful.



1. Being lazy is destructive!



Look at this verse:

Ecclesiastes 10:18



18 Because of laziness the building decays,

And through idleness of hands the house leaks.



Wow, some folks are so lazy they don't take care of things that can easily be fixed. Therefore severe consequences will be paid down the road. This can be said for relationships too. If we are to lazy to take the first step in repairing them, well they may just never be fixed!



2. Being lazy is irresponsible.



Being careless about your own soul is lazy and irresponsible. Failure to seize the day for God's glory is irresponsible. So being lazy is not only physically irresponsible such as we seen under #1 but also spiritually irresponsible. Not a good thing for when we see Jesus face to face one day!



Look at this verse as it can cover both the physical and spiritual laziness:



Ephesians 5:15-16

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.



3. Being lazy can be hateful!



It took me a while to grasp this point. We have to look at this point as love for our fellow man. God is love. Jesus tells us to love others and even love our enemies. So if we are being lazy and not sharing our faith, our blessing, our time, and our love then it can be said we are being hateful to our fellow man!



Matthew 12:30

30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.



Matthew 5:42-48

42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.



Wow that pretty well sums up that point huh?



So like I said yesterday, be careful about concluding that you are not lazy before we see all that God's Word has to say about it! Slaps me around a little!



Tom