Proverbs 18:9 He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
A Lee MacLennan saying. “Time gained in laziness is time lost in hard work.”
Lee was telling me how he came up with the Jam Principle. Lee was spreading jam on bread for his son and some jam plopped on the table. He knew he should clean it up right there and then, but didn’t. Later, when he tried to clean it, the jam had congealed and stained the table. The clean up took way longer than it would have had he cleaned up the mess when it first happened.
We have all done this very thing. We have put off something we should have done immediately but left it for later. And true enough, we have all paid for it in spades with different degrees of consequences. Procrastination, laziness, and sloth are enemies of our souls and lives. Prov. 18:9 He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
We do not have to try hard to be lazy – it comes easily. It’s as if being lethargic is our human default setting. To overcome this state of being, we have to stay vigilant to do what God has birthed in our hearts to accomplish. As odd as it sounds, it is easy to put God aside for later – even when the Lord is trying to get us to act now.
We do not have to try hard to be lazy – it comes easily. It’s as if being lethargic is our human default setting. To overcome this state of being, we have to stay vigilant to do what God has birthed in our hearts to accomplish. As odd as it sounds, it is easy to put God aside for later – even when the Lord is trying to get us to act now.
How many people are going to get jammed up because they kept putting off the calling of God? I was talking with a minister’s son, who was in his late forties. He said he would accept Christ as his Lord on his deathbed just before he passed away. He actually thought he could live a carnal and sinful life until the time of death approached. I said “You can’t be that naive to say something so stupid! What if you die in your sleep? What if you are in a car accident that happens in a millisecond? Do you actually think you can outwit God with childish games?” He had no responds to my questions because he knew he was putting off what should be done right away. James 4:17 So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.
The Apostle Paul was ministering on the Lordship of Jesus and the resurrection power that comes with accepting Christ as a personal Savior. Like so many people, King Agrippa answered Paul’s invitation to salvation with a non-committal attitude. Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Almost – is not a strong commitment to anything.
I almost finished high school. I almost joined a gym to gain better health. I almost tried to get that promotion at work. I almost showed up on time for that appointment. Why doesn’t anything good ever happen to me? Perhaps you have jammed up your life with lame excuses, rather than live by a code of integrity. Maybe your attitude has lost its resolve. Perhaps your character has become shallow like King Agrippa’s – slothful when it comes to commitment.
What has God been saying to us individually that needs an attitude adjustment to fulfill what He has asked us to do today? When will we act on God’s timing rather than – a ho-hum attitude of – I’ll get around to it when I feel up to it. My friend, Scott Moore, would say it this way, “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over?” We only have one life. When will we find time to do it over. Today is the day of salvation, not tomorrow. 2 Cor. 6:2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.”Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
Remember what Lee said, “Time gained in laziness is time lost in hard work.” The Lord Jesus has done the hard work in securing our victory and salvation. Don’t let laziness stop you from accepting God’s gift of eternal life. The Jam Principle tells us – we have no time to be lazy today, because there are no guarantees you will have options tomorrow. Eph. 4:22 To take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, 23 to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
Thank you, Lord, for being patient with us. Help us see the blessings you have given us today. Lord, by grace, help us respond to your instructions for our lives. Help us do today what You have sown in our hearts to do this day! In Jesus name!
Accidentally written for Jade. Much needed and appreciated.
Thanks, Norm!
I read somewhere that Mark Twain once wrote, 'The condition of humanity is, basically, laziness'.