Time To Waste?

Read Proverbs 20:1-30

1. Wine produces mockers; alcohol leads to brawls. Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
2. The king’s fury is like a lion’s roar; to rouse his anger is to risk your life.
3. Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling.
4. Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest.
5. Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.
6. Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?
7. The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children who follow them.
8. When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence, distinguishing the bad from the good.
9. Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin”?
10. False weights and unequal measures—the Lord detests double standards of every kind. Proverbs 20:1-10

Everyone has wasted time. Perhaps you’ve watched a mindless television program when the lawn needed mowing. Maybe you’ve played games on your computer at work when you really needed to finish a report. Or perhaps you’ve put off doing a necessary but unpleasant task by immersing yourself in a magazine or newspaper. There are countless other ways to kill time. What is your favorite time-wasting activity?

Proverbs 20 says that there’s a problem with wasting time, with putting off responsibilities in favor of puttering around. In some cases the consequences of wasting time can be serious. As you read, you will discover good reasons for being responsible.

Note also the other consequences here for getting drunk, sleeping in too much, and cursing one’s parents. This chapter doesn’t just dwell on consequences, though. It shows the many blessings for children of an honest parent; for those who have good sense; and for a leader who is fair, honest, and kind.

“Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the harvest” (Proverbs 20:4). You’ve probably heard similar warnings: “If you don’t study, you’ll fail the test,” or “If you don’t save, you won’t have money when you need it.” Although God will provide for our needs, he wants us to take responsibility for ourselves and use wisely what he has given us. Refusing to take responsibility for ourselves today can mean suffering the consequences of our irresponsibility tomorrow. And we cannot expect God to come to our rescue whenever we foolishly do not plan ahead.

What’s on your must-do list? Let nothing hold you back from fulfilling your responsibilities and promises.