The lazy see an obstacle in every opportunity. They can’t hold down a job – but there’s always a good excuse. The hours are too long, it pays too little, the work’s too hard, people are too demanding – they have all kinds of excuses. And if you don’t like any of those excuses, the lazy always have more. Heard the one about the lion? ‘The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! If I go outside, I might be killed!”’ (Proverbs 22:13 NLT). Even the most extreme, unlikely possibility becomes an excuse to not work. Thomas Edison – a pretty good example of an anti-sluggard – said, ‘Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like work.’ Even when God sent Jesus, He still gave us a part to play: the apostles were to act to spread his kingdom. They worked just as hard whether things were good or they were being persecuted. But to the Proverbs’ sluggard, it’s always too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry. ‘The lazy man will not plough because of winter.’ If lazy people just harmed themselves it would be one thing, but they hurt everybody else too. ‘A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things’ (Proverbs 18:9 NLT). Chuck Swindoll says: ‘That word “destroys” pulsates with liabilities. A lazy employee doesn’t simply hold an organisation back; he destroys its motivation and drive. A lazy player doesn’t just weaken the team; he destroys its spirit and diminishes its will to win. Before long, everyone must do more to compensate for the sluggard’s negative influence.’

What now?

Prone to bailing on work when obstacles come up? When you get a new opportunity, make sure you dedicate the first day on your schedule to preparing for obstacles.