Laziness

As someone in my early 20s, I have noticed a trend among people my age (and myself). This trend affects all of us at some point, especially those in college. The trend is an increase in apathy. Apathy is defined as the absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement or the lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting. In my opinion, apathy and laziness go hand-in-hand.

How many times have we said, “I don’t care” when it comes to school or work? We have been going and doing things for what seems like forever, and we get to the point where we don’t care anymore. It doesn’t matter what happens if we don’t do that assignment or call in sick to work, we just need a break. The Bible is clear that we need to take rest seriously, but it is also clear that laziness is an issue that needs to be addressed.

One place laziness is addressed is in Proverbs 6 (NLT):
6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.
Learn from their ways and become wise!

7 Though they have no prince
or governor or ruler to make them work,

8 they labor hard all summer,
gathering food for the winter.

9 But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep?
When will you wake up?

10 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—

11 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit;
scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.

Solomon doesn’t like lazy people. In this passage, he stated that laziness will lead to poverty. Interesting. This isn’t the only time Solomon addresses laziness. He addresses laziness 17 more times in Proverbs alone. Here are a few examples:

Proverbs 10:4
Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich

Proverbs 10:26
Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

Proverbs 12:24
Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.

Proverbs 13:4
Lazy people want much but get little,but those who work hard will prosper.

Proverbs 19:15
Lazy people sleep soundly, but idleness leaves them hungry.

Proverbs 20:4
Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.

Proverbs 21:25
Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work.

It is clear from these verses, that God does not reward laziness. We will always have to work for our food (Genesis 3:17-19). Laziness leads to poverty. We do not serve a lazy, inactive, distant god. We serve a God that honors hard work.

Jesus speaks of hard work in the parable of the three servants (Matt 25:14-28).

Paul speaks of laziness in a few places:
Romans 12:11
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

1 Thessalonians 5:14
Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

1 Timothy 5:13
(in speaking as to why young widows should not be put on a list of widows that the church serves) And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.

Basically, it comes down to us knowing that God does not reward inaction. He does not bless those who do nothing. So we all need to work hard, whatever that means for you. Laziness will never be rewarded; it will only lead to poverty and ruin.