Proverbs 22:13
The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside! I’ll be killed in the public square!”
I love the book of Proverbs. There is so much blunt truth, and here the writer laughs his socks off at the sluggard or lazy person who has always got an excuse for doing nothing. On this particular day, he fears that there may be a lion outside and is concerned that he may get killed. He considers that he’s got the perfect excuse for staying at home and doing nothing.
The writer of these Proverbs spent a lot of time reflecting on lazy people because he was so fearful of the disease of laziness. He saw that it led to poverty and distress and was keen for everyone to focus their attention on ants, who were the exact opposite. In Proverbs 6:6, he wrote: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!” Ants are always busy and effective in their work, and we can all learn from them.
I’m not accusing you of laziness! I’ll leave you to reflect on the issue, although I’m inclined to think that we all have areas of our lives where we can let laziness creep in – but maybe that’s just me! However, it’s good for us to recognise that God has got work for us all to do, and His blessings will only pour into our lives as we fully commit ourselves to working for Him. It’s no wonder that the writer is so anxious that people shouldn’t waste their lives on being lazy!
Question
Are you ever lazy, and if so what do you learn from the book of Proverbs?
Prayer
Lord God, help me to learn from the example of the ants, and to work effectively for You. Amen

Released on 31 Oct 2026