“The lazy man says, ‘There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!’ As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed. The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly" (Proverbs 26:13–16). 

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Diligence is a hallmark of faith (Romans 12:11; Hebrews 4:11; 6:11; II Peter 1:5,10). Laziness fails to see daily opportunities to serve God, our families, brethren, and neighbors. Laziness serves the desires of Satan, not God. Solomon’s wisdom teaches us to be diligent in every part of our lives as it identifies the indicators and dangers of idleness. 

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• The lazy person always has an excuse for not meeting his responsibilities (Proverbs 26:13). Real or imagined dangers and difficulties content the lazy to remain so (Proverbs 22:13; 20:4). God will use us to accomplish His work when we diligently seek and do His will (Matthew 19:26; Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 11:6). 

• The lazy person fails to use his time wisely (Proverbs 26:14). He sleeps when it is time to work (John 9:4). As a result, he is unprepared to successfully meet life’s challenges (Proverbs 6:6-9; 19:15). We must redeem our time wisely (Ephesians 5:15-16). 

• The lazy person does not want to work (Proverbs 26:15). The answer to his problem is staring him in the face, yet he is unwilling to work (Proverbs 19:24). There is no reward in life or eternity for the apathetic and negligent soul (Proverbs 12:27; 13:4; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20). 

• The lazy person comforts himself with his pride (Proverbs 26:16). He is self-deceived, lacking the perception needed to change his condition (Proverbs 16:18). 
   

Let us be diligent in things temporal and eternal. Otherwise, “the desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor” (Proverbs 21:25).

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Joe R. Price