The Sluggard and the Ant I. Introduction: Lesson on Laziness and Diligence from the book of Proverbs. A. Proverbs is very useful to us. 1. Teaches us wisdom. 2. Includes the counsel of the wisest man in the history of the world. 3. Imparts unto us the advice of God. 4. Should serve as a guide to our lives. 5. Follow these words of wisdom, and you will live a fulfilled, righteous life. B. Many subjects are addressed within the book of Proverbs. 1. Much needed teaching is here on a variety of subjects. - Parenting. - Speech. - Covetousness. - Honesty and Integrity. - Humility. - Hypocrisy. 2. Unfortunately, the subjects are not grouped together. - As you read through a chapter in Proverbs, Solomon jumps from one subject to another, many times even verse by verse. 3. This morning, we are going to pick one of those subjects. C. Proverbs 6:6-11. 1. Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man. - Title of the lesson: The Sluggard and the Ant. 2. Two types of people. - The sluggard who sleeps away his life. - Or the hard-working ant who doesn t have to be told to get up and work. 3. You see these types of people in all areas of life. - Work. - Homes. - School. - Church. 4. This morning, we will consider what Solomon has to say about laziness and work.
II. Solomon s Description of the Two Men. A. Verses in proverbs about laziness and work ethic. 1. Proverbs 10:4-5, He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame. a. States the general rule of life: you will prosper if you work hard. b. When it s time to work, you get up and work (harvest time). c. It s shameful when you see people unwilling to work when there is work to be done. 2. Proverbs 10:26, As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy man to those who send him. a. Illustration of vinegar and smoke. - vinegar is bitter, make teeth cringe. - smoke irritates the eyes. b. Lazy man is troublesome to his master. - Lazy workers are a constant irritation to employers. 3. Proverbs 12:24, The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor. a. End result of laziness and diligence. b. Diligence will lead you to success. 4. Proverbs 12:27, The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man s precious possession. a. Lazy man is a man of waste. - Even if he does get up and goes hunting, he s too lazy to cook what he caught. b. Diligence is a most precious possession. - Hard work is an equalizer. - We may not have all been born into the same situation, and we may not all have been born with the same opportunities. 5. Proverbs 13:4, The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. a. Lazy man: desires but does not have. - the person who sits back and complains that they don t have what others have. - but they re not willing to work for it. b. Diligent man: desires, works to achieve. - same desire, but the difference is diligence. 6. Proverbs 18:9, He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
a. Explains the seriousness of the situation. b. Laziness is akin to destruction. c. Someone laying around sleeping all day is similar to someone taking a baseball bat and destroying your house. 7. Proverbs 19:15, Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger. a. Laziness will cause problems. b. It s hard to get out of the habit, like a deep sleep. - addictive nature 8. Proverbs 19:24, A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. a. Picture of the epitome of laziness. b. Won t even lift his hand to feed himself. 9. Proverbs 20:4, The lazy man will not plow because of winter; he will beg during harvest and have nothing. a. Won t put in the work to reap the benefits. - When everyone else is putting in the hard work in the winter, the lazy man sits at home b. Then when harvest comes, he has to beg for his food. 10. Proverbs 20:13, Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread. a. Don t fall in love with sleep. b. Providing for yourself may make you tired. 11. Proverbs 21:17, He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich. a. Being lazy isn t just about sleep and doing nothing. b. It s also about loving pleasure so much that you shirk work. 12. Proverbs 21:25-26, The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare. a. The lazy man covets and desires, but will not work. b. The righteous man works and gives. 13. Proverbs 22:13, The lazy man says, There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets! a. Picture of a lazy man seeing a lion in the streets: Woe is me! b. Won t get up and do anything about it. 14. Proverbs 22:29, Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.
a. General rule of hard work. b. If you will work hard, you will find success. 15. Proverbs 24:30-34, I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; and there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man. a. Picture of a lazy man s field. b. General rule of laziness: will bring you to poverty and need. 16. Proverbs 26:13-16, 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. a. Repeat of the proverb in 22:13. b. Not a positive description of a lazy man. B. How does Wisdom view the Sluggard and the Ant? 1. The Sluggard (the lazy man). - Shameful. - Will come to poverty. 2. The Ant (the hard worker). - Commendable. - Will come to prosperity. C. Two Applications. 1. Physical Life. 2. Spiritual Life. III. Application to Our Lives. A. In our Physical Endeavors. 1. Laziness is against the wisdom of God. - the passages from Proverbs were regarding physical work. - therefore, wisdom tells us that we need to be hard-workers. - we need to be willing to get our hands dirty and work. - the wisdom of God says that. - if we are lazy, God says that it is shameful. - God says it will lead to our downfall. - in the NT, God states it this way: - If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 2 Thess. 3:10 2. Laziness is a real temptation in our times.
- Conveniences of our day lend to laziness. - Indoor plumbing. - Farming is easier. - Transportation. - Microwave ovens. - Remote Controls. - Laziness is so common in our society. - In our jobs. - example of foreign workers. - In schools. - In families. - So much emphasis put on relaxation and recreation. - more value is place on these things than on work. - Thus, it is tempting for us to fall into the same line of thinking and way of life. 3. Give our best effort in all things. - The point is that God expects His people to be hard workers. - In whatever facet of life. - Col. 3:23 - And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. - Hard work at our job. - Hard work in our family. - Hard work in any endeavor that we undertake. - God does not want lazy people. B. In our Spiritual Endeavors. 1. Spiritual Labor is more important than Physical Labor. - As important as physical labor is, there is work that is far more important: Work in the spiritual realm. - Jesus said, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matt. 6:19-20 - Jesus also said, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Lk. 10:2 - We need to take the principle that Solomon teaches us about working hard and apply it to the spiritual work that God has given us. 2. There is much work to do for God. - Starting with yourself. - Making yourself right before Him. - Living a life that will point others to God. - Teaching the world about God and the Gospel.
- Doing good unto all men. - Building up your brethren. 3. God does not want lazy people working for Him. - Illustration of being an employer. - you want hard working people. - God is no different. - He wants people who will work hard. - John 15:1-8 - Are you bearing fruit for God? - Are you working hard for the Lord? IV. Conclusion: The Ant or the Sluggard. A. Which description fits you? - The Ant. - The Sluggard. - In your physical work? - In your spiritual work?