A Little Sleep, A Little Slumber
Daily Reading: Genesis 24, Psalm 24, Matthew 24, Proverbs 24
I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
Proverbs 24:30-34
We live in a culture that worships the “hustle”—optimizing every second of our lives in a quest for building our own metaphorical kingdoms here on earth.
As we read in Matthew 6, it is critical that Christians not fixate on building wealth here on earth.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21
However, it is important we never forget that while our wealth isn’t eternal and should never become the main focus of our efforts, our work is a task assigned by the Master who is currently away.
When I look at that sluggard’s field in Proverbs 24, I don’t just see a lack of money. I see a lack of stewardship. The stone wall wasn’t in ruins because of a natural disaster; it was in ruins because of a “little folding of the hands.”
How many of us have “fields” in our lives that are currently covered in weeds?
- Maybe it’s your marriage, where you’ve stopped putting in the effort to truly listen and understand.
- Maybe it’s your career, where you’re just doing enough to not get fired rather than working “as for the Lord.”
- Maybe it’s your spiritual life, where the “thorns” of technology and entertainment have choked out the word until it’s unfruitful.
God hasn’t called us to be “Unshakeable Humans” built on our own self-sufficiency. But He has called us to be diligent servants. Diligence isn’t about building a better idol of yourself; it’s about building the Kingdom.
There is a massive difference between working hard, because you are on mission for the King, and working hard for the sake of storing up wealth. One is a posture of service; the other of self reliance..
If I work hard simply to see my bank account grow, I’m training my brain to covet. I’m fixating on the material instead of the mission. But if I work hard because I realize that God gives me the ability to produce wealth so that I can be a blessing to others, that changes everything.
The lesson from the sluggard isn’t “work more hours.” It’s “be present in the task.” It’s about putting the phone away, rolling up our sleeves, and weeding the ground God has given us today.
In every area of our lives.
If the Master returned tomorrow, would Jesus find you sleeping? Or would he find you actively engaged in the task he gave you?
Let’s stop folding our hands. Let’s stop letting the thorns grow. Not because we want to be rich, but because we want to be faithful.
Daily Reflection & Dialogue
What is one area of my life—my “field”—that I have allowed to become overgrown with weeds lately, and what is one tangible step I can take today to start clearing them out?
