Today's Verse: Proverbs 19:15

Friday, October 3, 2003

Your Support Matters!

Your donations are vital to help us keep the light shining.

Donate Now
Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.
— Proverbs 19:15
Now you can listen to Today's Verse on iTunes, Spotify, Echo devices, and more!

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

I was raised in a family with three boys. Dad had a theory: A certain amount of testosterone had to be burned off by each boy every day. If it weren't burned off daily, the house would quickly become unlivable, so he always had hard work for us to do outside. Dad didn't have to memorize Proverbs 19:15 — it was embedded in his DNA! Growing up, I didn't appreciate the importance of hard work. They didn't call it "hard" in our neck of the woods by accident! In those boyhood years, I would have been content to be a lollygagger (in "Cornbread English," that's what Solomon's ol' lazy, "shiftless man") without my dad's imposed work requirements as a boy. As I've grown older, I've found that working hard with my hands has many redeeming qualities, while being a lollygagger has NONE. Lollygagging should never be confused with genuine rest to honor God and help us prepare to do a week of hard work!

My Prayer...

El Shaddai, God over all things, please teach me the balance between work and rest. Help me to balance both so that I can bring you honor and display your gracious rule over my heart and my time. Help me be productive, hard-working, and honorable. In the name of Jesus, I ask this. Amen.

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Friday, October 3, 2003

A daily devotional featuring wise counsel found in Scripture.
"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
"[Paul and his companions] went ashore [in Tyre], found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy...."
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
"Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For..."
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
"Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others —..."

Illustration

Illustration of Proverbs 19:15 — Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.

About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.