Proverbs - The Consequences of Lazy

Proverbs 10:26  "Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy one to those who send him".

Proverbs 12:27  "A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence".

Proverbs 15:19  "The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns, But the path of the upright is a highway". (NASB)

Today – rather than one passage or verse I’m going to share three proverbs all linked to the common theme of laziness. I’ll refrain from sharing why laziness comes to mind today but it did and so I thought I’d look it up.

Solomon touches on laziness three times in his proverbs and I’d like to share what he says.

In 10:26 Solomon shares the effect lazy people have on those who want them to do something. It speaks of the one who sends him. That could be a parent asking a son or daughter to help or it could be an employee asking a worker to work. It could also be a project organizer asking a volunteer to do something. Regardless, the lazy person has a particular affect on the one who “Sends” them.

The effect is referred to as, “Vinegar to the teeth”. Think about that or better yet try it. Fill your mouth up with vinegar and then rub your teeth together. It’s a little bit like chalk on the chalk board scraping and grinding. The other effect is similar, “Smoke to the eyes”. You know what that’s like; tearing, blinking, rubbing and etc. Overall it’s just plain irritating. And I guess that’s the best word for what Solomon is describing. Lazy people are irritating to those who are trying to get them to do something.

In 12:27 Solomon uses a comparison. This time he compares the lazy person to one who is diligent. “The lazy man does not roast his prey”. Now I’m all for sashimi and once in awhile I like beef carpacio but come on. Let’s cook something here. The lazy man whom I’m surprised has actually hunted and killed something in the first place won’t follow through and cook what he’s hunted. Although not stated, there could be consequences to eating uncooked food. Illness from all sorts of micro organisms or parasites could come to the lazy man from eating that uncooked prey. In contrast the diligent man follows through cooking his prey. One who follows through this way has a “Precious possession”. So it is much better for the diligent than the lazy.

In 15:19 Solomon talks about the way ahead for the lazy man. Here the lazy man is compared to the “Upright”. There could be a double meaning here since a lazy man lays down and the active man is, “Upright”. More likely this “Upright” man is a righteous man or one who does what is right. The comparison then is how things go for the two. The path forward for the lazy man is like a, “Hedge of thorns”. Imagine making your way forward through a thick hedge full of thorns. Not only is the path difficult but it is painful and can actually cause injury and infection. Making a path through thorns isn’t at all pleasant and is at the least inefficient. By comparison the path of the upright is like a highway; it’s clear sailing with no interruptions.

So in these three Proverbs we find clearly that it is much better not to be lazy. You won’t irritate others, you won’t bring potential harm to yourself and you won’t be prevented from making progress. I’d say Solomon makes it pretty clear; lazy ain’t the way. AMEN!