A Little Sleep

For Thursday, August 23, 2007
Proverbs 24:30-34

30 I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,
31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and considered it;
I looked and received instruction.
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.

The "little sleep" and "little slumber" and "little folding of the hands to rest" end up being the primary activities of the sluggard. He does tell himself that he will loaf and do no work. He will work, and very hard, but first just a little rest. Or better yet, I think I will watch TV for a just minutes, just to relax for a moment.

We see such workers in the workplace. He comes in late. When he does come in, he needs time to settle in. He likes to chat. And he glances at his email before he gets started in his work. There's a funny article he's found. He looks at the day's work and comments on how much he has to do. They need to hire more workers. How can they expect one person to do all he has to do? The other people he worked for had the same unreasonable expectations, as did the people before. In fact, he has had the unfortunate luck of always working for unreasonable bosses.

What describes you? Are you known for the consistent, good work you do, whether it be in the workplace or home or school? Or are you "plaqued" with people having too many expectations? Circumstance do play in, to be sure. But more often than not, the work you produce or fail to produce has more to do with your attitude than anything else. The "little" breaks you take add up to more than you realize. And these "breaks" may be the real reason you fail to get the promotion or make the grade. Examine yourself before you blame your circumstances.