What other Proverbs address laziness and its consequences? Launching from the Street of Excuses “The slacker says, ‘A lion is in the road, a fierce lion prowls the public square!’” (Proverbs 26:13) The picture is clear: laziness often hides behind dramatic excuses. Scripture returns to this theme again and again. Other Proverbs That Expose the Sluggard • Proverbs 22:13 – “The slacker says, ‘There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!’” (a near word-for-word twin that underlines the empty drama). • Proverbs 26:14-16 – The sluggard turns on his bed like a door on hinges, is too weary to lift food to his mouth, yet considers himself wiser than seven sensible men. • Proverbs 6:6-11 – Observe the ant; “a little sleep… and poverty will come upon you like a robber.” • Proverbs 10:4-5 – Idle hands bring poverty; gathering in season marks wisdom, sleeping at harvest brings disgrace. • Proverbs 12:24, 27 – Laziness leads to forced labor; the lazy man never finishes the game he caught. • Proverbs 13:4 – The slacker craves yet has nothing; the diligent are satisfied. • Proverbs 15:19 – The sluggard’s path is a hedge of thorns, while the upright travel a clear highway. • Proverbs 18:9 – The slothful worker is brother to the destroyer. • Proverbs 19:15, 24 – Laziness brings deep sleep and hunger; the slacker buries his hand in the dish but will not bring it back. • Proverbs 20:4 – The slacker will not plow in season; at harvest he looks and finds nothing. • Proverbs 21:25-26 – The slacker’s craving kills him; all day he covets, but the righteous give. • Proverbs 24:30-34 – A neglected field choked with thorns preaches the same warning: “A little sleep… and poverty will come upon you like a robber.” Consequences the Spirit Emphasizes • Poverty and shortage (6:11; 10:4; 20:4; 24:34). • Forced dependence and bondage (12:24). • Unfulfilled desires and gnawing covetousness (13:4; 21:25-26). • Shame and broken reputation (10:5). • Personal ruin spilling over into others’ loss (18:9). • Spiritual dullness—considering oneself “wiser” while refusing counsel (26:16). A Better Way Modeled • The ant’s foresight and initiative (6:6-8). • Diligent hands that bring abundance (10:4). • A highway, not a hedge, for those who choose upright industry (15:19). • Generous living made possible by steady labor (21:26b). Putting It All Together Proverbs 26:13 lifts the curtain on the sluggard’s favorite defense: fabricated danger. The rest of Proverbs exposes further masks—sleep, procrastination, self-importance—and then shows the inevitable fallout: poverty, frustration, bondage, and broken walls. Scripture’s call is consistent and hopeful: imitate the ant, keep your hand to the plow in season, and enjoy the freedom, provision, and generosity that God delights to give through diligent work. |
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