"Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger." (Pro 19:15)

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." (Pro 31:27)

Idleness is a topic we have been discussing off and on over the recent months. The bible has a very definite view about it. Idleness is equated with treachery and deceit (Job 27:4; Psa 52:2; Psa 101:7) as it is with remissness, slackness and slothfulness (Pro 10:4; Pro 12:24) in the Hebrew words translated as "idle" or "idleness", and the Greek words used imply furthermore slowness, uselessness (Titus 1:12, 1 Ti 5:13; 2 Thess 3:6), and also fruitlessness, being barren (2 Pe 1:8).

Generally speaking, the bible teaches that idleness leads to nothing. The man who does not work does not eat, Paul states in the context of his second letter to the Thessalonians:

"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (2 Th 3:10-12).

This throws an interesting light on the question of charity, too, and the modern day social welfare systems are obviously very unbiblical. Whoever does not work in Western, allegedly Christian Societies, of course eats, because he can claim money from the state, and if he cannot or will not for whatever reason, charity organizations step in and feed (and clothe, and sometimes even house) him. God's ideas are obviously different here. Proverbs 19:15, as quotes above, is just another example of the same attitude.

Read on here:

On Idleness Part 2

Go to Part 3 and 4 here:

On Idleness Part 3

On Idleness Part 4