Topical Bible: The Poor: Condition of, often Results From: Sloth

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Topical Encyclopedia

The condition of poverty is a multifaceted issue addressed throughout the Bible, with sloth, or laziness, frequently cited as a contributing factor. The Scriptures provide numerous insights into how sloth can lead to a state of poverty, emphasizing the importance of diligence and hard work as virtues that prevent such a condition.

Proverbs on Sloth and Poverty

The Book of Proverbs, known for its practical wisdom, frequently associates laziness with poverty. Proverbs 6:9-11 warns, "How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit." This passage illustrates the gradual and insidious nature of sloth, suggesting that even small, habitual acts of laziness can lead to significant financial distress.

Similarly, Proverbs 10:4 states, "Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." Here, the contrast between idleness and diligence is stark, underscoring the belief that hard work is a pathway to prosperity, while laziness leads to lack.

The Consequences of Sloth

The Bible further elaborates on the consequences of sloth in Proverbs 24:30-34 : "I went past the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment. Thorns had grown up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was broken down. I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit." This vivid imagery of neglect and decay serves as a metaphor for the life of a slothful person, where inattention and lack of effort result in ruin and poverty.

New Testament Perspectives

The New Testament also addresses the issue of sloth, particularly in the context of Christian living and community. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10 , Paul admonishes, "For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat." This directive highlights the expectation of personal responsibility and the importance of contributing to one's own sustenance.

Moral and Spiritual Implications

Beyond the physical and economic consequences, sloth is often portrayed as a moral failing with spiritual implications. The parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30 illustrates the expectation of using one's gifts and opportunities wisely. The servant who buried his talent out of fear and laziness is rebuked and punished, symbolizing the spiritual peril of failing to act diligently with what God has entrusted to each individual.

Conclusion

The biblical perspective on sloth and poverty serves as a cautionary tale, urging believers to embrace diligence and hard work as means to avoid the pitfalls of poverty. Through the wisdom of Proverbs and the teachings of the New Testament, the Scriptures provide a clear link between sloth and the condition of being poor, encouraging a life of active engagement and responsibility.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Proverbs 20:13
Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Treatise on the Priesthood. Book iv.
... suitable for the sick; and often the condition of the ... one accord, committed the care
of the poor widows to ... For there it often happens that the combat with one ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/treatise on the priesthood book 4.htm

John 3:3; 2 Cor. 5:17 Questions About Regeneration
... Moreover, they often contradict themselves and one another ... The poor and simple-minded
cannot take in the ... and encourage an easy, self-satisfied condition of soul ...
/.../the upper room being a few truths for the times/chapter xviii john 3 3 2.htm

Cheer Up, My Comrades!
... Is it not your habit, poor sufferer as you are, to ... for your Master to others in a
like condition whenever you ... is brought forward by God, he is often one whom ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 26 1880/cheer up my comrades.htm

The Sluggard's Reproof
... at if you did, or suppose the condition was that ... do you not recollect what has been
so often impressed upon ... of abundance; no man grudges his poor fellow-man ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the sluggards reproof.htm

Post-Nicene Mothers
... of feudalism were forged, by which the poor were bound ... and let them remain forever
in their own condition." ... They often occupy the same couch, and yet they call ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/v post-nicene mothers.htm

The Christian Training of Children.
... in their minds aspirations after a happier condition, in which ... Lord to such a time,
it must often have happened ... they see, as they grow older, how poor and vain ...
/.../selected sermons of schleiermacher/ix the christian training of.htm

Gospel Missions
... Men might be poor and uneducated; their words might be broken ... Ye say too often, ye
sons of God, "Am I my ... Are we in a worse condition than the Roman Catholic ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/gospel missions.htm

Come from the Four Winds, O Breath!
... brought up from their hopeless, spiritually dead condition, and made ... Oh, that now
also some poor heart may find rest ... I dare say that you have often felt, what ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/come from the four winds.htm

Morality and Doctrine
... In short, as we often dream that we dream ... that we experience every hour the results
of our deplorable condition? ... Midrasch el Kohelet: "Better is a poor and wise ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section vii morality and doctrine.htm

The End
... a collection on behalf of their poor saints, which ... in Prison."This was far from the
condition which such ... and restlessness of mood this must often have been ...
//christianbookshelf.org/stalker/the life of st paul/chapter x the end.htm