by Pastor Patrick Cho
Late last year, I began a short series entitled “Common Pitfalls for Young Men.” Through this series, I wanted to highlight issues that have frequently come up in counseling over the years. Meeting up with young men for fellowship and prayer has been one of the greatest highlights for me in pastoral ministry, but through these periodic meetings I noticed certain concerns repeatedly needing to be addressed. While other men in other churches might deal with different struggles, these were the issues that came up again and again here at Lighthouse. Considering that the temptations we face are all common to men (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13) and that there is really nothing new under the sun (Eccl. 1:9), I thought a series like this might be helpful.
I once went into a Christian bookstore and was walking through the aisles when I came across a baby pillow with a Bible verse stitched onto its face. The passage read, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.” This comes from Proverbs 6:10, which is a stern indictment against laziness. The very next verse explains what this little sleep and slumber leads to, “And poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man” (Prov. 6:11). Truly, this is every parents’ great aspiration for their children!
Laziness is one of those sins that most people might dismiss as minor or insignificant. It can be defined as inactivity, idleness, and a refusal to work. What this really boils down to is a lack of self-control. When a person struggles with laziness or idleness, they simply refuse to fight against their self-centered desire for what comes easy. It is the opposite of industry, hard work, and diligence.
Seeing that it is a common struggle that many people admit, it is not surprising that the Scripture offers quite a bit of wisdom on the topic. Besides the passage in Proverbs 6:6-11 mentioned earlier, consider these verses as well:
Proverbs 10:4 – “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”
Proverbs 10:5 – “He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.”
Proverbs 10:26 – “Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.”
Proverbs 12:24 – “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.”
Proverbs 12:27 – “Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.”
Proverbs 13:4 – “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.”
Proverbs 15:19 – “The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.” (Note that the contrast is made between “the sluggard” and “the upright”!)
Proverbs 18:9 – “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.”
And my personal favorite…
Proverbs 19:24 – “The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.”
Why is this such a serious sin to the Lord? The foundation to the answer lies in the creation account. In Genesis 2:15, it states that the Lord placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to work and keep it. This is significant because sin had not yet entered into the world. Therefore, it is incorrect to dismiss or categorize work as a “necessary evil.” It was part of God’s perfect plan for men that they would work. In this, as the crowning point of all creation, man could further bear the image of God and represent Him since the Scripture states clearly that God is a God who works (Gen. 2:1-3). Thus, to refuse to work is at the heart a rebellion against God’s good and perfect created order.
Besides this, in writing to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul gives another reason for the offensiveness of laziness. Having given the warning to admonish idlers in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, he writes follow-up instructions in 2 Thessalonians 3, “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” In other words, idleness is a sin because it stands against the gospel.
This might seem harsh at first, but after some consideration it makes sense. Jesus came teaching a new commandment, that believers ought to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34). But by being lazy, some in the church were clearly taking advantage of others. Without contributing to the needs of the saints, these men would come and eat the meals provided by the church. Paul’s admonishment was, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (v. 10b).
The Apostle Paul was not giving instructions that he himself did not live up to. He pointed to his own ministry as an example of diligence (2 Thess. 3:7-9; cf. 1 Thess. 2:9). Not wanting to be a burden on anyone, Paul worked diligently to provide for his own needs. He did this that others might follow in his example. Looking at it broadly, all this was in application of the law of Christ (cf. Gal. 6:2). This was Paul’s application of love for the saints because the gospel had saved and transformed him.
Laziness and diligence do matter to the Lord. We need to be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking it is merely a lesser sin. All sin is offensive to a holy God, no matter how small. But laziness is a particular sin that the Bible has addressed over and over again. As such, believers in Christ ought to cultivate diligence and industry. We ought to work hard at what we do because we ultimately do it for the Lord.
Here are some practical ways young men can cultivate diligence:
- Take some time to consider the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). As believers, we ought to look past ourselves to serve others and help meet their needs. Bring your mind to agree with what God’s Word reveals concerning the sinfulness of laziness and the uprightness of diligence.
- Pray that the Lord would help you in this area of your life. Confess the sin of laziness to Him and ask Him to help you grow in diligence.
- Study God’s Word and cultivate a biblical theology of work.
- Set realistic goals for the day and seek to be productive in what is profitable and good. It is said that if you aim at nothing, you will be sure to hit it. Remember that being busy is not necessarily the opposite of being lazy.
- It is not true that lazy people never work hard. Many lazy young men are very diligent when it comes to video games and recreation. Redirect your energy considering what is most valuable to the Lord.
- Since laziness at the heart is self-centeredness, seek out ways to serve others.
- Ask for accountability from your small group or leaders. Have them pray for you and share your daily or weekly goals with them so that they can keep you accountable.
Author’s Note: For more on the theology of work, listen to these messages from Pastor Jim Kang of LBC East Bay.