A simple lesson from Proverbs

Graphic from Baptist Bible Hour.

For the past eight months or so, I've been trying to do daily Scripture writing each day, following various plans for doing so.  I think I started in November with a Thanksgiving Scripture writing challenge, and have sought out one for each month since then.  Some months, my friend who prepares our church bulletins will put a Scripture writing plan in the bulletin at the beginning of the month.  I've definitely found it a blessing to write out Scripture at the beginning of each day.

Usually the passages are longer, so I don't attempt to SOAP the verses, but simply copy them out into my notebook.  Today, however, there was just one verse to copy so I decided to take a few minutes and SOAP the verse, which was Proverbs 19:15.  This was a challenge and encouragement to me today, so I thought I would share it with all of you.

S (Scripture) = "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger."  (Proverbs 19:15)

O (Observation) = To be slothful is to be idle, lazy, and sluggish.  From there it is only a short step to loving sleep too much and spending too much time in bed.

The idle person who avoids work will end up (theoretically) without enough to eat, since he will have earned no money with which to purchase food.  However, in our society today, many who don't work have more than enough to eat, thanks to government programs.

I think the "idle soul" is hungry for more than just food.  He hungers for more out of life, more meaning, more satisfaction, than he is getting.

A (Application) =  Slothfulness is one of the character flaws I've identified in myself.  Here is another reason to avoid it.  God wants me to live a productive, satisfying life that fulfills His purposes for me.  If I sleep my time away or waste it in idleness, I will feel frustrated and dissatisfied with my life.  Worse, I will be useless to the Lord.

P (Prayer) = "Lord, I thank You for the practicality of Your Word.  I pray that You will help me each day to be conscious of the swift passage of time and the brevity of life, and to become serious about living each moment of life for Your glory.  I ask that You will help me also to show others something of what a truly satisfying life looks like.  I cannot do any of this apart from your help! I thank You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."