The Field of the Slothful
Today’s Verse:
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. ~Proverbs 24:30-31
With summer upon us, we tend to kick back, take it easy, and let things slide. After all, doesn’t everyone deserve a little rest, relaxation, and time to renew? However, we must be very, very careful not to allow ourselves to become non-productive and derelict in our responsibilities. This morning, let’s take a field trip to visit what Solomon called “the field of the slothful.” Let us consider the sobering lessons by studying this man and his field.
We see an OWNER.
Solomon says he went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of a man. This man was a landowner, and most likely one of substantial means. This land at one time grew wheat and grapes. This land was cared for, and he harvested crops for his family’s wellbeing, as well as possibly to sell on the open market. His land was passed down to him from his father and previous generations. Land was precious in those days. Your livelihood and survival depended upon the productivity of the land. He was an owner, but we see a disturbing adjective to describe him. He is called slothful! This man was lazy and indolent. As we will see, his field was not like that of a common productive sharecropper.
We see this man was OBLIVIOUS.
However, we see another disturbing description concerning this man. He was a man void of understanding. This means he was ignorant and irresponsible concerning the care of this land. He was not diligent to observe the seasons. He did not plow the land, sow the seeds, prune the hedges, irrigate the fields, or provide the normal expected care necessary to have a successful crop year. This man depicted foolishness, and being void of understanding.
We see this man’s field was OVERGROWN.
“And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.” This man’s field was overgrown with thorns and nettles. The field was in disarray, and appeared to have been neglected for a long time. The stone wall that surrounded it was broken down from neglect. Nothing productive grew on this land. This field was an eyesore to anyone who passed by it. It was an embarrassment and a scourge.
We see this man’s OUTCOME.
“So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.” This man was a failure! He had nothing productive to show for his holdings. He was poverty-stricken and lacking in resources to care for himself and his family. This man idled away his time through excessive sleeping, procrastination, and neglect. He faced a harsh winter with meager to no food. His situation is like that of a vagabond and a soldier who traveled the landscape and survived day by day.
We are to make some OBSERVATIONS.
“Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.” This slothful man is a sobering lesson on the danger and dereliction of slothfulness. He did not plan. He did not work. He did not care. The first lesson is that slothfulness is a sin. The second lesson is that slothfulness leaves us in a bad predicament. The third lesson is that we must strive to be diligent, resourceful, hardworking, and visionary about our lives. Don’t let it be said of you that you are slothful. Consider this man and his field, and decide that it will not be said of you that you are slothful.
Have an industrious God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Job 11-13