A deer, an ant and a fire in your lap
Sometimes we find ourselves in a right mess. We get drawn into something we don’t want to be a part of. We get sucked into a friendship which we know is not good for us. We agree to do something we know we shouldn’t be doing. We don’t know how to get out of it. The advice of the writer of the Proverbs in Chapter 6? –
Run like a deer from the hunter
Open your eyes to the danger. Admit it. And run in the opposite direction. NOW!
Watch out for the ‘riffraff and rascals’. Those who are always stirring up trouble. Those who are always cooking up something nasty. Just stay well away.
And then, randomly, he moves on to laziness. I have a massive issue with laziness. I grew up with a strong sense that I was fat, boring and lazy. I’ve been fighting that all my life. Yes, there are times we need to rest, take time out. Sometimes that can look like laziness. But that time of quiet has to follow a a time of busyness. It’s the restorative time necessary after exertion – physical, mental or emotional. I’ve had to learn over the years that relaxing is OK. It’s more than OK. It’s essential for a healthy, happy life. But throwing all your energy into doing something is just as life-giving. At dance last night, I was thinking about what hard work it was. The energy it took. The screaming calves. The mental concentration. The engagement of all the emotions. I was thinking ‘I choose to do this. I choose to pay to put myself through this. I must be mad!’ But it is the most life-giving hour of my week! I give so much, but I get so much back in return.
The example the writer uses in Proverbs 6 is the ant. The ant is focussed. The ant knows how to work as part of a team. The ant is a completer finisher. The ant gives his all as part of the whole. The ant provides for the community. No ant sits back and expects the others to do all the hard work for him. The ant keeps on keeping on until the work is done.
So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing?
How long before you get out of bed?
A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there,
sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next?
Poverty. Health issues. Lack of satisfaction in life. Lack of fulfilment. Disorder. Lethargy. Low self esteem. The list could go on and on….
You know this. We all do. You get out of life what you put in.
And then we have a list of seven things God hates:-
- eyes that are arrogant
- a tongue that lies
- hands that murder the innocent
- a heart that hatches evil plots
- feet that race down a wicked track
- a mouth that lies under oath
- a troublemaker in the family
Parts of the body that can be put to good or to misuse. Just like the part of the body that gives into adultery!
It’s funny how Solomon goes on about listening to his father’s advice. Wasn’t his father David? Didn’t David give into adultery? Wasn’t Solomon the result of that relationship? Maybe David did teach his son about it, especially because of his own mistakes. Maybe Solomon learnt from the mistakes of his father. Maybe Solomon considered his father’s life and decided to do things differently.
And the advice?
- listen to your father’s advice
- cling on to sound advice
- think about the consequences
- there are no excuses
- see adultery for what it is.
And I’ll leave you with this image to remind you that there are consequences for every decision that we make. And image that will haunt you!
Can you build a fire in your lap
and not burn your pants?
