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“Only fools idle away their time.” Proverbs 12:11
Idleness is a complicated vice. Yes, I say VICE!
First it is a most wasteful vice. It wastes time, which is more precious than rubies; it wastes a man’s mental faculties; it wastes property.
Idleness is a disgraceful vice. How reproachful is it in a being made to be active, to spend life in doing nothing, and to throw away his mental powers in sloth.
Idleness is a criminal vice. God has commanded us to be active, and will call us to account for the sin of killing time.
Idleness is a dangerous vice. Doing nothing is next to doing evil–and is sure to lead to it. From its very inaction it ultimately becomes the active cause of all evil. “The Devil tempts all men; but the idle man tempts the Devil.”
Idleness is a wretched vice. An idle man is the most miserable of all God’s creatures. Woe be to the man who is doomed to bear the pain and penalties of a slothful disposition.
“And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14
- J.A. James, “The Young Man’s friend and Guide Through Life to Immortality
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Hey! I’m sitting here, wasting time – watching a bit of TV after having a 4 hour baby shower in the house. And you post this! That’s a bit rude, dontcha think?
Seriously, I’ve read a few quotes from dead guys on this topic over the past couple weeks. I often wonder where to draw the line on this. Rest – which we commanded to take – takes many forms. Some sinful, others not. I don’t think that all inactivity (sleeping aside) is wrong. I do think most of us – me – engage in too much idleness, claiming it as rest & recreation.
Does time spent reading godly counsel on the Internet count as idleness?
I think he discounts your examples when he defines idleness: “to spend life in doing nothing, and to throw away his mental powers in sloth.” and “a slothful disposition”. So things such as sleep, reading godly counsel, etc is not being idle in the sense he is speaking. – JT
I was really simply trying to yank your chain. But are all activities outside that which edifies the saint – such as a football game – sinful?
BTW, have you found anything from Sharpe to resolve the proper name aspect of his rule?
lol, consider my chain yanked. As for football, the super bowl for example, I certainly hope they can arrive at a peaceful settlement without a conflict on the field
Sports can certainly become an idol, and is to a large extent in America especially. Many worship sports figures, including football ‘stars’ – that would obviously be idolatrous. As for Sharp, still looking every now and then.
JT
I heard a pastor talk about golf years ago. Many men worship golf on God’s course when they claim to be worshiping God on the golf course. He went on to say that anyone who wants to know what real worship looks like should watch a football game, where one will see folks paying strict attention for several hours, not allowing any distractions. This is why I oppose tax funding for sports “temples”.
Press on, my brother. I stay tuned – in need daily of being reminded of my need for the grace of God in Christ.
Don’t forget the book of Proverbs. It tells so much about the sluggard, sloth and laziness.
Prov 10v4, ‘He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich’.
Prov 10v5, ‘He who gathers in summer is a wise son, he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame’.
Prov 12v11, ‘He who tills the land will be satisfied with bread, but he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding’.
Prov 12v27, ‘The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting…’
Prov 20v13, ‘Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty…’
Ok. I done. But, we know when we are being idle, and wasting time. When we have to question whether or not our what we do is idle or not, we are not being honest with ourselves, or God.