About Lazy, Slothful Sluggards

This outline is based on a few of the verses found in the book of Proverbs. Many other verses can be found in the Bible, on this topic, but this list will give you a basic idea of what God says about such a person.

Different translations will use various words, such as lazy, slothful, sluggard, lazy-bones, idle, slack, etc., but the basic meaning of the verses - and the final conclusions of this study - will be the same.

The Sluggard - His Description

A. How he views himself vs. how others view him

1. How he views himself: wise
   • Proverbs 26:16
      
2. How others view him: very irritating, annoying
   • Proverbs 10:26 (view of those who try to send him to do something)

B. Some of his character traits

1. [Note: A person's character can display itself in many ways. The examples given below are sometimes the most easily seen expressions of a character trait, and would be representative of the many other, less "extreme" expressions of that trait. For example, an unwillingness to lift food from the dish to his mouth would be an "extreme" that would represent all the other ways he might be too lazy to take advantage of easy opportunities placed right before him.]
   
   
2. Would rather sleep (rather than work)
   • Proverbs 6:9-10
     
   • Proverbs 19:15 (because of his laziness)
     
   • Proverbs 24:33
     
   • Proverbs 26:14
      
3. Filled with excuses for not doing what he should do (half-truths, at best)
   • Proverbs 15:19 (there always seems to be obstacles in the way: his "path" is like a thorny hedge/barrier)
     
   • Proverbs 22:13; 26:13 (expecting to die, if he goes outside to do some work!)
      
4. Too lazy to work
   • Proverbs 21:25 (unwilling to work)
      
5. Too lazy to eat (or to provide for himself)
   • Proverbs 19:24; 26:15 (an "extreme" example: even with food before him... too lazy to do what is necessary, to get it into his mouth!)
      
6. Unwilling to plow or sow crops when the opportunity comes (so that he could later reap the benefits)
   • Proverbs 20:4
      
7. He is like a person who destroys things
   • Proverbs 18:9 (his "brother" is the destructive vandal/destroyer)
      
8. He lacks judgment
   • Proverbs 24:30

C. He is contrasted with...

1. Diligent people
   • Proverbs 10:4 (their working hands bring wealth)
     
   • Proverbs 12:24 (they will be the rulers/leaders)
     
   • Proverbs 12:27 (they have plenty left over, that they can prize or be thankful for; another interpretation held by some: diligence is a prized possession)
     
   • Proverbs 13:4 (their desires are satisfied)
      
2. Upright / righteous people
   • Proverbs 15:19 (their "path" is like an open highway: full of opportunities)
      
3. Those who are discreet in the way they speak
   • Proverbs 26:16 (people who speak with good sense: wise counselors)

The results of being a sluggard

A. What he DOES NOT get

1. Does not reap good things because of his unwillingness to plow/sow (to do the necessary work, beforehand)
   • Proverbs 20:4 (he looks/begs for the "rewards" but they aren't there)
      
2. Desires not satisfied
   • Proverbs 13:4 (his cravings are not satisfied)
     
   • Proverbs 21:25 (his desires will be "the death of him")

B. What he DOES get

1. Poverty & scarcity/neediness
   • Proverbs 6:11; 24:34 ("attacked" by it)
     
   • Proverbs 10:4 (because of his lazy hands)
      
2. Hunger
   • Proverbs 12:17 (does not have meat to cook, since he isn't willing to work to obtain it)
     
   • Proverbs 19:15
      
3. Slavery / forced labor (it's just about the only way to get him to do something!)
   • Proverbs 12:24

Lessons to be learned

1. By the sluggard: He could learn wisdom even from ants (if he were willing to learn)
   • Proverbs 6:6-8
      
2. By the rest of us: We can learn NOT to be a sluggard!
   • Proverbs 24:30-34

Verses used in this study:

Proverbs 6:6-11; 10:4, 26; 12:24, 27; 13:4; 15:19; 18:9; 19:15, 24; 20:4; 21:25-26; 22:13; 24:30-34; 26:13-16