Day 607: First things first - Proverbs 24 vs 27, 30 - 34

27 Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

30-32 I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. 33-34 Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. Proverbs 24:27, 30-34. (English Standard Version)

I've carried vs 27 over from my last post on Proverbs 24 because I thought it tied in well with vs 30-34 today. What word would you use to describe the advice being given in vs 27?

I'd choose the word 'priorities'. If you think back to the pioneer days when men and women were seeking land to settle down in, while some sort of shelter would certainly have been needed, of far more importance was to till some ground and get some crops planted. A more comfortable home could be built later. This is true of the condition of our soul as well. Jesus said to His disciples: “Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:31-33)

Our priority in life should be that of a right relationship with God. The health of our soul is more important than the health of our body. Being rich towards God is more important than being rich in the world. And vs 27 reminds us that needful things don't spring up by themselves. If the pioneers wanted wheat or barley, or potatoes or fruit trees, they would need to plant those things and then tend the fields. So too a fruitful relationship with the Lord requires energy and effort.

Which brings us to the picture described in vs 30-34. What word would you use to describe the behaviour of the man who owned the field that was so overgrown with thorns and nettles?

I'd settle for the word neglect. The man had totally neglected to take care of his field. He'd done no weeding and had not bothered to repair the walls that would protect the plants from wild animals. Whatever harvest he had hoped to get would not be there. What does the Proverbs writer say was the cause of such neglect and it's sad consequences? (vs 30-32)

It was a matter of stupidity and laziness. The man either didn't have the sense to realize that all achievement requires hard work, or he was just too lazy to be bothered. Once again, what’s true of fields is true also of our soul. Luke tells us in his gospel that someone once said to Jesus “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” And Jesus replied “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door,  because many will try to enter, and will not be able to.” (Luke 13:23-24)

But, after looking at the run down field and thinking about what he saw, what is an important lesson that the writer teaches us about neglect and laziness? (vs 33-34)

I'd say it was that the field did not fall into ruin suddenly. The man didn't leave a well looked after field for a deserved night's rest, and then wake up in the morning to find it covered with weeds and thorns. It took place steadily over a period of time. The more he put off work that needed doing 'till tomorrow', the more things fell apart. How true this can be of a person's relationship with God. What started off so well can become tiresome. Prayer is neglected, the Bible becomes less read and Church is side-lined. Spiritual poverty creeps over the soul. Salvation's wall is broken and temptations begin to trample what life there was. Oh may we take care to not neglect our relationship with Christ. May we constantly focus on the priority of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.