Become “Unhinged” – Proverbs in Practice

The sluggard, former procrastinators, retreats into a holding pattern he prefers over what he ought to be doing.  He has a favorite way to hide out from work.  Sleep is a common choice, but there are others.

“As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed.”  Proverbs 26:14

This is suitable for a door.  It’s designed to move only on its hinges.  That’s its function.  This is not suitable for a person.

A person turning on his bed is not engaged where he should be.  He’s avoiding responsibility. The idea is that he’s stuck there, not moving, not getting up and taking action.

Is there something I habitually turn to and engage in to put off what I should do?

There are ways to “turn on our hinges” without actually being in bed. A person who repeatedly avoids work might be like a door on its hinges, a qualified sluggard.  Those around him can take note and suggest he pick up his end of things. You know, become “unhinged” in a good way.

With a pile of dishes on the counter, do I routinely choose to check email instead? 

Maybe its constantly watching TV or reading novels or playing video games.  Maybe it’s even mopping the kitchen floor – anything we run to for regular retreat from what we ought to do.

A lazy person sometimes actually gives instructions to other people to do his job while pretending to tend to something necessary.  “You two move that table inside.  I’m on the phone.” 

Does he nearly always claim the same “lion in the streets”?  “I’m too busy to help with that.”  “I don’t have time.”  “I’ve got homework to do.”  Everybody else is also busy and short of time.

It might not be obvious work the person seeks to evade habitually.  Maybe it’s just something out of his comfort zone – which causes him to deal with another form of work.  “We’re all going to the lake Saturday.  You should come!”  “Oh, I can’t.  I have to work on my science project.”  (Which is due in two months.)

We don’t want to be the person who habitually maneuvers out of hard work or the work of stretching beyond our comfort zone.  It’s worth the effort to participate as a giver and to learn new things. When we engage where we should, we and others benefit.

What’s your go-to way of maneuvering out of work you’d like to avoid?