How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise 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 want like an armed man. –Proverbs 6:9-11
It’s 6am and the alarm clock sounds it annoying buzzing and awakes the young man from his peaceful and comfortable slumber in the bed in the bedroom in which he grew up. His parents are his landlords. He hits the snooze button. He needs to get himself out of bed as he has an important appointment in just a couple of hours. It is a rendezvous with the next chapter in his life. His college days are over and he is at the threshold of independence by taking a step forward. His appointment is a job interview.
He has a decision to make. Does he get up, get “dressed for success” and make it in time to meet this new opportunity head on – OR – does he hit the snooze button, roll over and grab more sleep?
He tries to rationalize in his mind that the interview is really not that important because it is not the job he really wants and it doesn’t pay the wages he desires. He then begins to convince himself that another opportunity with better income potential might come along. He can just hang with his parents. They’ll take care of him a while longer. They’ve been doing so since he graduated from college last year. Well, that was easy. Not a big deal, right?
It is a BIG deal. It is time for this young man and others like him to realize God did not create man to be lazy and dependent on others . The work God wants us to accomplish within his Kingdom is carried out by those who respond to the call of wisdom and maturity that comes with understanding the importance of self-sufficiency and responsibility. As the Proverbs passage shows us the consequences of laziness and idleness will bring a condition that no man wants – poverty. Life becomes much more difficult when one does not have the resources to sustain oneself. And, the way to obtain those resources is by getting that job!
So, turn that alarm clock off! Get out of bed and move forward with your life. It’s time to take that next step on life’s journey. Trust me – it really will be a step in the right direction.
JMG
Image: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
