Nope, There's A Lion In The Street - And Other Excuses
If you do a search for Scriptures about lions, you'll get an odd mix. There are a few instances where the lion is regal and majestic, but not very often. Most times lions aren't portrayed in the best light, and sometimes they're just used in combination with human traits, as with this passage from Proverbs 26.
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. Proverbs 26:13-15
Fortunately, southeast Iowa isn't the first place you'd see a lion in the street, exploring its natural habitat.
Perhaps unfortunately, I'm the kind of person who would be in the street, calling the lion and bribing it with treats so I could cuddle it.
But in the context of these verses in Proverbs, the lion doesn't actually exist. The lion is an excuse, a reason for the lazy person to stay in bed and catch up on her beauty sleep. Let's examine these three verses about lions and slothfulness in a little more detail, and we might find some convicting thoughts that will keep us motivated in the week to come.
The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. Proverbs 26:13
* The idle woman "excuses" her idleness as something beyond her control.
* She refuses to going into the street, which is exactly where the work has to be done. No street, no work.
* If pushed, she pushes back with excuses. It doesn't matter what anyone else says - it's all about that lion.
* What she doesn't realize is that during the daytime, when she is supposed to be doing her work, lions are in their dens sleeping, not roaming the streets. Anyone who knows lions' habits know she's making excuses.
* She would rather waste time and energy making up a story about lions than put that effort into excelling at her work. What a waste...
As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. Proverbs 26:14
* Think of the bed as our ease. She chooses her own ease while giving in to the fear of actual work.
* If she's in bed, then the business of the day is neglected and opportunities to get ahead are wasted.
* Ultimately the slothful is hinged to her bed like a door is hinged to its frame. It never gets anywhere and never accomplishes anything except going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.
* Turning on her bed shows a little bit of movement, but there's no purpose or motivation to it. It's definitely not accomplishing anything.
* Ultimately she might do things in her work, but she's not gaining ground or improving herself. Then what's the point?
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. Proverbs 26:15
* Again, she makes excuses while refusing to use the hands God gave her. Think of that painting of Napoleon, where his hand is in his jacket. The slothful woman just lets her hand hang in her jacket so she doesn't have to exert energy to hold it up.
* It's not that she can't do the work, it's that she determines not to do it. There's a difference.
* She will find that she is the loser in the end because she will starve to death in refusing to even raise her hand to her mouth. No work, no food, no movement, no sustenance.
* Even knowing that there would be great gain and profit from the effort, she can't suffer the least amount of pain or exert the smallest amount of energy in the moment. That requires determination and decision making, and she's not going to go that far.
These three very negative verses give us the picture of who the slothful woman truly is, from the inside out. As we start our week, let's flip it all around and see who God is calling us to be as productive, godly women instead.
* There are no excuses, only actions.
* She willingly goes into the street to work instead imagining lions.
* She puts effort into excelling at her work.
* Actual work that makes a difference comes before a life of ease and rest.
* There is purpose and motivation to the work she does.
* Her goals are in gaining ground and improving herself.
* She determines to do the work because she is more than able.
* She sees great gain and profit from her efforts, and that motivates her to continue.
My prayer this week is that we'll each be convicted to do the work God has placed before us with joy, devotion, and an eye to the future. Now go make a difference in whatever He has called you to do.
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