Wisdom and Diligence

Series: The Book of Proverbs

August 30, 2020 | Dr. Bo Rice
Passage: Proverbs 24:30-34

Wisdom -- “Understanding that results in good judgment, such that we please God, do right by our fellow man, and flourish in our own lives.”

MAIN IDEA: According to Proverbs, the way to prosperity is hard work. And the lazy person dooms himself to poverty. Hard work carries its own blessings, while laziness carries its own curses.

A Portrait of the Slacker

Proverbs 24:30–34 -- “I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of one lacking sense. Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, and the stone wall was ruined. I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction: a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, and your need, like a bandit.” 

There are obvious consequences of laziness.

The slacker’s laziness results in an overgrown field and a broken-down wall. This leads to the slacker’s poverty.

Proverbs 21:25 -- “A slacker’s craving will kill him because his hands refuse to work.”

Slackers prefer to be lazy. They refuse to work and always have an excuse. Their laziness is depicted as ultimately leading to poverty and their death.

Proverbs 6:6-11 -- “Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise. Without leader, administrator, or ruler, it prepares its provisions in summer; it gathers its food during harvest. How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.”

The slacker stands in sharp contrast to the ant (or hardworking person).

The Hebrew word for “slacker” describes a person who is too lazy to work.

Much like the fool in Proverbs, the slacker believes themselves to be wise, and yet his/her life will end in destruction because of laziness.

“a little folding of the arms” -- Indicates a refusal to work.

“like a robber” -- For the slacker, poverty comes suddenly and ruthlessly like a thief.

The coming poverty should be obvious for slackers since they do not work. However, their pride blinds them to this.

For the believer, we should be marked by diligence.

We should see everything that we do as service to Christ. Whatever we do, in labor, profession, or hobby, we should do to the glory of God.  (Working for the Lord)

Colossians 3:23-24 -- “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.”

We know who we are working for, no matter what we are doing. If we are selling cars, working on an assembly line, teaching, crunching numbers, responding to emergency calls, performing surgeries, taking care of your children, etc... we should do our best, knowing that we are serving the Lord.

Benefits of Diligence 

Proverbs 10:4 -- “Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.”

Proverbs consistently holds up diligence as the surest way to gain prosperity and warns against laziness as the quickest path to poverty. 

Proverbs 12:24 -- “The diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labor.”

Solomon had drafted thousands of workers to build the temple and then his palace, so he knew how the system worked. The man with diligent hands would ultimately be placed in charge, but laziness would result in slave labor, where the sluggard would be forced to work even harder than the rest.

Proverbs 21:25-26 -- “A slacker’s craving will kill him because his hands refuse to work. He is filled with craving all day long, but the righteous give and don’t hold back.”

The lazy man's life is marked by continual craving, but instead of working he just wishes. As a result, he ruins himself, and his story ends in death. He longs for things but refuses to work, so he eventually starves.

The righteous person, on the other hand, works hard and produces much. He/she is not a slave to personal cravings, however, so they are free to give liberally to others. 

So what have we learned?

According to Proverbs, the way to prosperity is hard work. And the lazy person dooms himself to poverty.

Hard work carries its own blessings, while laziness carries its own curses.

Work hard, even at things that are beneath your ability. That is the doorway to advancement.

Always remember: you are working for the Lord. Do your work well, and you will eventually get your reward from him.

If a person is diligent, they will gain recognition that will bring satisfaction.

Series Information

Previous Page


Other sermons in the series

Wisdom and Folly

July 12, 2020

What is a fool? Proverbs 10:23 Proverbs 10:18 Proverbs 15:2 Proverbs...

Wisdom and Humility

July 19, 2020

Proverbs 22:4 (CSB): Humility, the fear of the LORD, results in wealth, honor, and...

The Problem of Anger

July 26, 2020

*What are you angry about? We all have moments, or perhaps we have major...

The Problem of the Tongue

August 02, 2020

*Are your words a fountain of life or a fountain of death? That is, do you use your...

Wisdom and Honesty

August 16, 2020

Wisdom -- "Understanding that results in good judgment, such that we please God, do...

Wisdom and Diligence

August 30, 2020

Wisdom -- “Understanding that results in good judgment, such that we please God...

Wisdom and the Family

September 06, 2020

There are so many broken and unhappy homes in our society today. This raises the...

The Fear of the Lord

September 13, 2020

In this series we’ve explored the matter of wisdom in the book of Proverbs. In...