An Idle Soul
Today's Verse:
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger. ~Proverbs 19:15
Unamuno, the Spanish philosopher, told about the Roman aqueduct at Segovia, in his native Spain. It was built in 109 A.D. For eighteen hundred years, it carried cool water from the mountains to the hot and thirsty city. Nearly sixty generations of men drank from its flow. Then came another generation, a recent one, who said, "This aqueduct is so great a marvel that it ought to be preserved for our children as a museum piece. We shall relieve it of its centuries-long labor." They did; they laid modern iron pipes; they gave the ancient bricks and mortar a reverent rest. And the aqueduct began to fall apart. The sun beating on the dry mortar caused it to crumble. The bricks and stone sagged and threatened to fall. What ages of service could not destroy, idleness disintegrated. (Resource; Sept./ Oct., 1992; p. 4).
We see the sin of idleness.
Idleness is a slackness and inattention to responsibility, productivity, and stewardship. Idleness is a relative of laziness and slothfulness. It is inactivity when there should be busyness and diligence. It is putting important things off to another time, but not giving any attention to it. Someone has said that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Nothing good ever comes out of idleness. Idleness in the life of a Christian leads to thoughts of vanity and sinful behavior. Idleness in the life of an unsaved person could lead to him putting off his opportunity of being saved and eventually spending eternity in Hell. Idleness results in an unkempt life. Idleness is a sin that is subtle and dangerous.
We see the spin-off of idleness.
Gossip, tattle-telling, and slander are the byproducts of an idle life. Idle people are not bothered by wasted time and lost opportunities. They park themselves around gossip stations to pick up the latest bad news to spread around. Idleness opens the door for other evils to crop up and build up in our lives. Idle people become busybodies in other men’s matters and have little to no desire to do things that have productive results.
We see the suffering in idleness.
Idleness leads to poverty. The idle soul shall suffer hunger. “By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through” (Ecclesiastes 10:18). Idleness eventually leads to a house falling apart. If we are idle about our property, it will be overgrown with weeds and become uninhabitable. If we are idle about our families, our entire home life will fall apart. Idleness could lead to shortfalls at retirement. Where there is idleness, churches and organizations lose their vision, zeal, and purpose.
We see the safeguarding from idleness.
First, we must always be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Second, we must clearly define short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals that we strive to attain. These goals must be periodically reviewed for accomplishment and the resources needed to accomplish them. Third, we must be always abounding in the work of the Lord. In addition to productivity goals, we must have scheduled maintenance of what we are doing. We must redeem the time and not allow for gaps of time. Always bring something productive to read and work on to avoid gaps in time. We should schedule items of priority into our weekly schedule. Limit recreation and leisure activities to a minimum. Avoid spending time with people who tend to be idle and time-wasters. Plan everything you do with purpose.
Don’t become an idle soul! Don’t let your soul, mind, body, and the will of God go to waste. Be constantly productive, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain!
Have a diligent God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Ezekiel 25-27
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