Biblical finance 2: Laziness –> Poverty

July 1st, 2007

By far the most recurring principle in Proverbs, that laziness leads to poverty seems an obvious point. I get it, mentally at least. I don’t expect, in my head, to become financially secure by sitting at home, watching TV and sleeping the days away.

However.

I do know that I could be very, very content to read books, watch movies and go shopping, most days. I know that usually when my alarm goes off in the morning, I want to stay under the covers. I know that going to work, while something I will keep doing, is not always fun or exciting, and I know that part of me wishes for all of life to be purely rewarding and entertaining.

These are not shocking revelations, I suspect. We all have a little bit of laziness (I hope it’s not just me, at least!). So this Biblical principle about money, though easy to understand, can be difficult to really put into practice. Maybe that’s why it’s so often repeated.

Proverbs 10:4 A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

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 14:23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.

More? 19:15, 20:13, 21:17, 21:25, 24:33-34,