Pro 22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
A lion in the streets? That’s ridiculous! Lions live in the savannahs of Africa and in the zoos. Unless you live near a zoo, perhaps there is a chance that a lion may escape from the zoo and is roaming on your street. Otherwise, have no fear; there will not be a lion outside your house.
Solomon did not write: “The coward man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.” Well, that is the sensible thing to do if indeed there is a lion in the street; that’s not cowardice. But Solomon wrote: “The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.” He was talking about a lazy man. The lazy man will go to great lengths, even to the point of concocting the most ridiculous excuses in order to avoid work and fulfilling responsibility. The lion outside the lazy man’s house in this proverb is not real; rather, it is an image or picture that has been fabricated. It is the lazy man’s excuse not to work.
The chances of seeing a lion outside my house or anywhere in the town where I live are extremely remote. Many years ago, a black panther escaped from the zoo. The whole nation panicked. Many stayed at home. Some began to imagine things: even a black cat looked like the fugitive panther and they called the police.
Yet, how often do we create imaginary lions to avoid fulfilling our responsibilities? Oftentimes, we are the lazy man that Solomon is talking about. We imagine lions roaming outside our houses because we don’t want to go to a church service, or attend the mid-week bible class, or attend a fellowship or personal work session. We allow imaginary lions prowling outside our doors? We don’t say, “There’s a lion outside”, we say:
1. I have no time.
2. I have a headache.
3. I’m busy.
4. My children have homework.
5. Lack of talent.
Time, work, sickness, and children are the common excuses we make for not able to serve or attend any church services, bible classes, fellowship, gospel meetings, bringing a foreign guest out for a meal and etc. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10).
Children – As parents, we can easily turn our children into excuses to avoid fulfilling responsibilities. “The kids are too tired to attend Bible study, or they have too much homework.” “My children cannot sit still; they will disrupt the worship and bible class.” “My children slept very late last night; they can’t wake up.” “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:4).
Talents – Exodus 3 and 4 record the attempt by Moses to evade his responsibility to free the Israelites by exaggerating his vocal impediment. “And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue” (Exo 4:10). Did Moses think God didn’t know about his speech impediment? But in an effort to avoid the responsibility God was putting on his shoulders, Moses exaggerated a kitten-sized problem into a lion-sized issue. Even men and women who are physically challenged can play sports and win Olympic gold medals; what excuses do you have? “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees” (Isa 35:3).
Sickness – Is a light cough or headache contagious? Did you go to work with your cough and headache? Epaphroditus, a fellow worker of Paul, was very sick to the point of nearing death. Yet, it did not stop him from working and showing concern for the brethren at Philippi (Phil 2:25-30). “Because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me” (Phil 2:30). What a faithful worker of God!
Time – We are all busy but we all have the same amount of time. How is it that some of our busy executives, doctors, managers and businessmen can attend most of the church activities and serve God? They manage their priorities! When you manage your priority, you know what to do first and you schedule time for it and fit the rest in with the other time left. But when your priority is not on mid-week bible class or church activities, you will not allocate time for them. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psa 90:12).
The lazy man creates imaginary circumstances to justify not doing his work. The man who was given one talent had excuses for not doing anything with it. God wants commitment and not excuses. God said he was slothful (lazy) (Matt 25:24-27).
Think seriously about God’s judgment on that servant: Will God accept your excuses? Is the lion still in your street.
Jimmy Lau
Psa 119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.