Proverbs 10:26 - Lazy Messenger

Proverbs 10:26

Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.

Message: Lazy Messenger

Time: Proverbs records multiple individuals as its author with Solomon as the principal author. Solomon died in 931 BC though most think the book was likely in its final form sometime before the end of Hezekiah’s reign in 686 BC. It is a book that instructs people on the path of wisdom. It speaks to all of life and living our lives under the authority and direction of God. 

What the Lord is Saying: These Proverbs mostly explain the problem with being wicked and the advantage of being righteous. Most lead with a "not-to-do" followed by a "to-do." That contrast is fundamental to most of these proverbs, but I’ve noticed in chapter 10 the author deviates from that method at times. Verse 22 spoke about blessings from God. And now, here in verse 26 is an outcry to the lazy person.

Vinegar to the teeth and smoke in the eyes as mentioned. I think of both of these as being an irritant. And as an irritant, it makes life uncomfortable in that moment to where nothing else works, or can't function easily because of that disturbance. 

And this is spoken of a person who has been sent or is on a mission or is a messenger and that person is lazy. In other words, this is a person that has a job to do, has a task that has been assigned to them and rather than being efficient or proficient in doing that task, instead, they are not doing it which means they are now being called lazy. 

In my mind, this is something I struggle with. Assignments are given to me or tasks and I do some task quickly and some tasks are not done quickly. I put them off and then I find myself even at times wasting time or doing things that are not really important or even not that important at that moment based upon the task that has been given to me. I need to be doing the best I can but instead, I’m finding excuses to not do those things that are important. 

And so yes, most definitely, this person is an irritant. This person has potential and could do the task, but they are choosing to do other things. 

As a manager, I’ve seen this in employees, and it can be at times a hard thing to address. Rather than being blunt and saying they are lazy, often I dance around it by speaking gentler admonitions, but the idea is the same.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this verse. It hits me hard. I am quick to judge others rather than staring at myself, realizing that I too struggle with this. Forgive me Lord for pointing this out and not looking back at myself. Help me to change Lord and help others as well. I want to improve. Praise you God. Amen. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

My Utmost for His Highest - April 20th - Can A Saint Slander God?

For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. - 2 Corinthians 1:20

    Jesus told the parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25:14-30 as a warning that it is possible for us to misjudge our capacity. This parable has not to do with natural gifts, but with the Pentecostal gift of the Holy Ghost. We must not measure our spiritual capacity by education or by intellect; our capacity in spiritual things is measured by the promises of God. If we get less than God wants us to have, before long we will slander Him as the servant slandered his master: "You expect more than You give me power to do; You demand too much of me, I cannot stand true to You where I am placed." When it is a question of God's Almighty Spirit, never say "I can't." Never let the limitation of natural ability come in. If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be manifested in us.

 
    The servant justified himself in everything he did and condemned his lord on every point--"Your demand is out of all proportion to what you give." Have we been slandering God by daring to worry when He has said: "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33)? Worrying means exactly what this servant implied--"I know You mean to leave me in the lurch." the person who is lazy naturally is always captious--"I haven't had a decent chance," and the one who is lazy spiritually is captious* with God. Lazy people always strike out on an independent line.

    Never forget that our capacity in spiritual matters is measured by the promises of God. Is God able to fulfill His promises? Our answer depends on whether we have received the Holy Spirit.

From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

- Highlights and Underlines courtesy of Mom from her print edition. 

* Captious - fond of taking exception or raising objection

My Utmost for His Highest - April 16th - Can You Come Down?

While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light. - John 12:36

    We all have moments when we feel better than our best, and we say--"I feel fit for anything; If only I could be like this always!" We are not meant to be. Those moments are moments of insight which we have to live up to when we do not feel like it. Many of us are no good for this workaday world when there is no high hour. We must bring our commonplace life up to the standard revealed in the high hour.

 
    Never allow a feeling which was stirred in you in the high hour to evaporate. Don't put your mental feet on the mantelpiece and say--"What a marvelous state of mind to be in!" Act immediately, do something, if only because you would rather not do it. If in a prayer meeting God has shown you something to do, don't say--"I'll do it"; do it! Take yourself by the scruff of the neck and shake off your incarnate laziness. Laziness is always seen in cravings for the high hour; we talk about working up to a time on the mount. We have to learn to live in the grey day according to what we saw on the mount.

    Don't cave in because you have been baffled once, get at it again. Burn your bridges behind you, and stand committed to God by your own act. never revise your decisions, but see that you make your decisions in the light of the high hour.

From Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" - Classic Edition

- Highlights and Underlines are courtesy of Mom from her print edition. 

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Proverbs 6:6-11 - Go to the Ant

Proverbs 6:6-11

⁶ Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,
⁷ Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler,
⁸ Prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.
⁹ How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
¹⁰ “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest”—
¹¹ Your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man.

Message: Go to the Ant

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: As I've learned elsewhere, I have things to learn, even from the ant. In verse 6, I am told to look to the ant, o lazy one, and observe her walking about and then be wise. Take notice of the smallest creature on the earth and realize there is much to be learned from this creature. I continue to find it interesting that the ant's life span is about 30-45 days and yet with no leader each ant has the inborn train of preparing her food in the summer and gathering what the ant will need for the harvest. So, they are gathering for other ants that will live on after them. How can one look at this and say this is all birthed by chance?

Verse 9 begins with 2 words - How long - describing the strange idleness of man. Granted, sleeping and playing and sitting in front of a TV I think all are examples of being a sluggard. Just being out of bed is not enough to escape the sluggard tag on our lives. But, for me, the time I spend staring at a screen, seeking to be entertain by it when there are other things I could be doing. I was at my parents last night and noticed the books by my Mom's nightstand and noticed once again the books of great Christian writers she was taking the time to go through. She is not a sluggard but she is spending time equipping herself in a better way, desiring to bring glory to God. It is a beautiful picture. I look at the house and things I could do and there are many. Help me Lord to not constantly go toward the tube but engage in activities of meaning with my family and friends.

Promise: Be careful about continual acts of putting off to tomorrow what could be done today.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for examples that you provide with even the smallest of your creatures. You are a good God and a kind God and thank you for your Word that encourages us and reminds us in the ways in which we are to live. Lord, train me to surround me with only good sources of information in my life.

Proverbs 10:4-5 - The Diligent Hand of the Prudent Son

Proverbs 10:4-5
4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.

Message: The Diligent Hand of the Prudent Son

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: Even there were not any verse or chapter divisions in the original manuscripts, the beginning of this chapter says -- A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother. Solomon in Proverbs is primarily speaking to a son or his children to discuss things to think about, mostly regarding behavior. The reality is that left to our natural state, we have a tendency to live lives of complete selfishness. We do not naturally please others. For example, a child has to learn to share. For some it is easier than others. I see this in myself often, my selfishness takes over in so many areas. Yes, I work hard, but often I think that hard work then merits a meeting of my expectations.

These two proverbs contrast the hard working with the lazy. This is a common theme. I have learned in life that it is not just about working hard but working hard in a wise manner. After college I worked in a credit union as a teller for just about 6 months. In that job, I worked quickly but not always carefully. I enjoyed being faster than everyone else, but along the way I wasn't always the most accurate. My next year was spent volunteering in radio and doing temp jobs. In those jobs I sometimes didn't have big time requirements and could work at my own pace. Then, I got a job in retail. It wasn't just working hard that was important, but being wise in that work and working with a smile on my face, which has always been a challenge. In this process, I went back to school and then went to work at an accounting office. I worked hard, but not hard enough. My boss was similar to my boss now, expecting me to get the job done and not being focused on my time. I took a few afternoons off to watch Lobo basketball and didn't come in like he did on the weekends and he let me go. That was a wake up call for I spent another couple of months looking for work while having a wife at home and a new child. I then worked in Santa Fe and had different demands placed on me and I responded, thought it was still a challenge. That was a good job, but I still felt inadequate many times and I wasn't sure I was working well. I then took a job back in Albuquerque with a friend being the resident accountant for a small business. That was a job I didn't have much confidence in and I let others decide how I would work rather, though they looked to me for advice often.

I think overall I have learned to be diligent as verse 4 speaks.

And now I look at my children and I must admit their idleness makes em bothered. I think they spend too much time in entertainment and recreation mode. But, I also need to remember myself and what I had to learn and I need to give them time to learn as well.

Promise: Different seasons of life dictate often how often we spent quality time with the Lord and quality time working, but it is always important to be diligent and work in a wise manner.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the experiences that I have had. Some have been hard to go through, but through them you have taught much about myself. Forgive me for continually thinking of myself as deserving something because I simply work hard. You have gifted me in a certain way to be a certain person and this is who I am. And remind me that I am simply behaving in a way that is consistent with my make-up. Help me to be patient with my wife and children. I need your help Lord, I often act in way that I am not proud of. I want to instead bring glory to Your Name.

Proverbs 26:15 - Finish

Proverbs 26:15 

The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again. 

Message: Finish

Time:  It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Many of us, especially me are good at starting but bad at finishing. I think of this often in my life. I love to start, but I struggle finishing. Sometimes in reading or studying I see starting as getting a handle on something to see how I will like it. I don’t need to finish every movie I start, but right now even working on painting and other various projects outside, I’m starting to do several of them at once, then hit a rough patch and stopping. Basically, it gets difficult, so I stop. And I end up reverting back to that which is easier. Or I just go start something else. 

Promise: Believe in the outcome.