Sycamore a place to share with you my obseration in daily lives.

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A. Am I a spiritual sluggard?

Sign 1: a spiritual sluggard makes excuses for himself

The Lord Jesus tells us to ”go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19). Paul also encourages us to ”Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Tim 4:2). Yet, the spiritual sluggard makes excuses to stay home when it’s time to work. He complains that it’s too dangerous, saying, ”There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!” (Prov. 26:13). It is true that the devil ”prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8), but that’s no excuse for us to just hide in our homes, sit around and do nothing (or sleep, as Prov. 26:14 describes). We need to be controlled and alert, ”making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:16 NKJV).

Sign 2: a spiritual sluggard is proud

Proverbs describes, ”The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly. (Prov. 26:16). The Bible doesn’t tell us why the sluggard feels wise, but we can imagine that he thinks he knows the answers when he’s too lazy to really spend time on prayer or Bible-reading. In Paul’s time, the Corinthians were like this. They thought they knew the gospel when they didn’t even focus on spiritual matters. Therefore, Paul warned them: ”Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a ”fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight” (I Cor 3:18-19a).

Sign 3: a spiritual sluggard aggravates others

The lazy man is annoying to others because he is undependable in getting things done. As Prov. 10:26 describes, ”As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him.” What about in God’s eyes, though? Jesus’ parable of the talents teaches us how we aggravate the master (Lord Jesus) when we don’t do our share. The parable talks about a master who went away and entrusted three servants with different amounts of silver (talents). One of these (who was given the least responsibility) did nothing with it. Therefore, the master was angry when he returned. He called the servant ”wicked,” ”lazy” and ”worthless” and commanded the servant to be thrown outside into the darkness, where would be ”weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt 26:28). If we do not work with what the Lord has given us, we may annoy God and suffer the same fate as the lazy servant.

B. What are the dangers of being a spiritual sluggard?


Repercussion 1: a sluggard will be spiritually malnourished

Eating regularly and healthily is a requirement for growth. As we witness in church or elsewhere, picky babies or children are often the ones who are smaller, thinner, or develop more slowly. That’s why as spiritual babies, we need to ”crave pure spiritual milk,” so we may grown in our salvation (1 Pet 2:2). When we grow older and more mature, we also need to eat solid food (Heb 5:12). Yet, Prov. 26:15 tells us, ”The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.” The sluggard is so close, yet so far, from his food. Perhaps he goes to church, where spiritual food is being served all the time. But he does not bite into, chew, or taste how good the Lord is. Why? He’s too lazy to bring it back to his mouth and eat it himself. After all, no one can chew and swallow on behalf of someone else. Therefore, he starves, spiritually, even though the food is right in front of him.

Repercussion 2: a sluggard will be spiritually destitute

The Songs of Solomon describe our relationship to God as those of lovers. The bride of Christ, or the church, is described as ”a garden locked up…a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain.” (Songs 4:12). However, when we are spiritually lazy and stop cultivating, the garden falls apart.



Prov. 24:30-34 describes,

”I went past the field of the sluggard,
past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;

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 bandit
and scarcity like an armed man.”



The vineyard of the lazy man is no longer in bloom (Songs 2:15), but is filled with weeds and thorns. Jesus describes thorns in his parable of the seeds as ”worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth” that choke the word of God in someone’s heart (Matt 13:22). The stone wall is the barrier that closes our heart off so that it belongs to God only. It can also been seen as the ”ancient boundary stone” set up by out forefathers, which we are not supposed to remove (Prov. 2:28). Thus, we see the lazy man has let his heart become over-run with worldly cares. The boundaries of his heart have been broken down and he has no protection from Satan’s influences. He becomes spiritually destitute and is no longer filled with the peace, joy, and satisfaction of God.

Repercussion 3: a sluggard will be left out

Peter encouraged the elders of the church: ”Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away (1 Pet 5:2-4). Unfortunately, because ”a sluggard does not plow in season…at harvest time he looks but finds nothing” (Prov. 20:4). While others are being rewarded for their work, the lazy man will be left out and thrown into the darkness (Matt 26:28). Let us not be like the sluggard who is excluded from glory. Let us pursue a life of faith and deeds so that one day, we may also receive the crown of life.







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”Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph 5:15-20)

The Pew (Poem from J2Y2B4 Textbook, p.120)

Once upon a pew I sat

And heard the preacher ask,

”We need someone to teach a class,

Now who will take this task?”


Then God sat down beside me there

And said, ”Son, that’s for you.”

But, Lord, to stand before a class

Is one thing I can’t do.



Now Brother Forbes would be the man to call,

There’s nothing he won’t do.

I’d rather hear the lesson taught

From here upon my pew.



Once upon a pew I sat

And heard the preacher ask,

”We need someone to lead the songs,

Now who will take this task?”



Then God sat down beside me there

And said, ”Son, that’s for you.”

But Lord, to sing before a crowd

Is one thing I can’t do.



Now Sister Jenkins will do the job,

There’s nothing she won’t do.

I’d rather hear the music played

From here upon my pew.

Once upon a pew I sat

And heard the preacher ask,

”I need someone to keep the door,

Now who will take the task?”



Then God sat down beside me there

And said, ”Son, that’s for you.”

Saying things to strangers, Lord,

Is one thing I can’t do.



Now Brother Neal can talk to people, Lord,

There’s nothing he won’t do

I’d rather someone come to me

And greet me on the pew.



As years just seemed to pass me by,

I heard that voice no more.

Until one night I closed my eyes

And woke on heaven’s shore.



There were four of us together there

To face eternity.

God said, ”I need just three of you

To do a job for me.”



”O Lord,” I cried, ”I’ll do the job,

There’s nothing I won’t do.”

But Jesus said, ”I’m sorry, Friend,

In heaven there is no pew.”