Proverbs 10.26
“Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.”
Sluggards are lazy people who don’t work hard. Sluggards do not have a sense of urgency (Prov 6:6); they love to sleep (Prov 6:9-11); sluggards want things they are not willing to work for (Prov 13:4); they are defeated by minor hindrances (Prov 20:4); and the sluggard always has reasons to excuse himself (Prov 26:16).
As vinegar causes teeth to ache and smoke causes eyes to burn, so a sluggard irritates and hurts his family, his teammates, his employer, or anyone else counting on him. Those who employ a lazy person or asks them to do a task will be bitterly disappointed.
It is extremely important to recognize the high priority the book of Proverbs places on a strong work ethic. Diligence in our work is foundational to the Christian life. This is because God has designed a world where doing work is a fundamental necessity. It is no surprise, then, that one of the primary attributes of foolishness is laziness.
“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” (Proverbs 13:4)
May we be diligent and disciplined in our work. May we set the standard for the world to see.
Proverbs 10.27
“The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.”
The fear of the Lord is at the foundation of wisdom (see Proverbs 1:7; 14:26–27; 15:16,33; 16:6; 19:23; 22:4). Those who fear the Lord will act in a way that conforms to God’s will, but those who do not (the wicked) will ignore his commands.
Everything being equal, living in a way that conforms to God’s will results in a longer life. God created the world to function a certain way, and living in alignment with the way the world operates will result in a long, fruitful life.
The life of the wicked, on the other hand, is often cut short. This is because the wicked do not respect God’s standards and do not align with the Lord’s design. The wicked engage in foolish behavior. They do immoral things. As a result, they put themselves at risk.
Everyone wants a happy, successful life. Not everyone is willing to do the things that produce happiness and success. It all starts with how you view God.
