Move It! – Proverbs in Practice

This one leaves me bamboozled, former procrastinators.  This guy seems to be the height – or lowest depth – of laziness.  I mean really.  We could say this guy makes us feel good.

“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.”  Proverbs 19:24

There’s a similar one later in the book:

“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.”  Proverbs 26:15

The provision is there.  He has what he needs.  He extends his hand to the dish to scoop up the food.  Then – stops.  He refuses to raise his hand to his mouth to eat. There is goodness right before him – in his hand – and he won’t complete the motion to enjoy it.

The proverb is not addressing sickness, fatigue, or inability; it specifically states laziness.  Do we humor ourselves in some way that we resemble such a sluggard as this?  I’m struck by the fact that God has provided and the man has what he needs.  But he will not utilize God’s provision.

Let me think…

How many online purchases have arrived at our homes – yet not been used?

How many items of clothing are in the closet with tags still on them or otherwise not yet worn?

Did we borrow a tool but three weeks later have not used it?

Did someone bless us with the supplies we needed for a project we haven’t even started?

Extending this out, have we been provided with husbands we don’t honor, homes we don’t maintain? 

This person looks silly and undesirable.  In this setting, people ate from a common bowl.  Those with him dip in to serve themselves and eat, but this guy never moves his hand out of the food.  Yuk.

He reminds us of the fellow who won’t roast what he takes in hunting.  Wasteful for him and an aggravation to those around him.

How much evidence have I found that pricks my conscience on this one?  A plant given to me I never put in the ground, dusty new pants in the closet, gift cards expiring in my purse. Guilty.

I can’t say much about this guy after all.  Lord, I repent.

Name an area where your hand is “still in the dish” because laziness has taken over.