Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Spiritual laziness

Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically (Romans 12:11).

A person who is lazy is focused on leisure time. This can take the form of ‘goofing off’ when there are things to be done; it can also cause a person to rush through her responsibilities in order to finish up as soon as possible and relax.

What’s so bad about being lazy? Consider the employee who has to stay late, finishing another person’s work. Consider a child who is sent to bed early so that dad can relax in front of the TV undisturbed. Consider the teenager who is never given a reason for being told ‘no’ because mom doesn’t want to take the time to explain her reasons. Consider a person who votes against a referendum without taking the time to find out why the measure was proposed in the first place. Laziness hurts others.

But the worst kind of laziness is spiritual apathy. What happens when your desire to stay in bed keeps you home from church? What happens when you decide that studying the Bible is too hard, that reading some light Christian literature is more fun? What happens when you are just too busy enjoying yourself to find time to pray?

If going to church is not a priority, you are separating yourself from the source of your spiritual energy. You are not hearing the word of Christ, which is the power of God to renew your life. You are missing opportunities to show your gratitude to God through songs and offerings and acts of service. You are missing the interconnectedness that comes with being part of God’s family of believers.

When you set aside the Bible for light Christian reading, how do you know that what the writer is saying agrees with what God says? Only the Bible is inspired; only familiarity with God’s word can help you evaluate the quality of other Christian literature. While there is nothing wrong with such reading, it should never replace your time immersed in God’s holy word.

And what happens when you stop praying? You are giving God the silent treatment, refusing to answer His call, ask for His help, or share the contents of your heart. On earth, such behavior ends relationships; giving God the silent treatment can have eternal ramifications even more serious. So don’t let sloth overtake you; instead, be zealous for the Lord, passionate in your desire to be with Him and to serve Him.

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