Proverbs 10:4-7 — Compare and Contrast

READ THIS: Proverbs 10:4-7

4 Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. 5 He who gathers crops in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. 6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. 7 The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot.

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

Here we have 4 different proverbs, each telling a different story. However, all 4 of these verses teach us important lessons on the two types of people we can be through the ways we speak, think, and act! First, we read in verses 4-5 about two people: a lazy person and a diligent person. In verses 6-7, we learn about two people: the righteous and the wicked. Let’s compare and contrast what we learn about the lazy and the wicked (person 1) to the righteous and diligent (person 2)!

In these verses, we learn that person 1 only seems to work when its convenient for them rather than when they should. When person 2 is hard at work, person 1 sleeps in and does what they want to do instead. Person 2 is given blessings, but person 1 receives violence because of the way they talk, which leads to their name/legacy being forgotten while many carry on person 2’s name for years to come.

We certainly can see some differences between these two people, but what’s the core problem? Person 1 cares more about doing what they want to do while person 2 cares about doing what God is calling them to do! So… what type of person will you be today?

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Where in your life is it easier to be lazy than to be diligent? Why?

2. Who is someone in your life who you can learn things like righteousness and diligence from?

 

TRY THIS:

Try to wake up 10 minutes earlier the rest of this week!! Use that time to hang out with Jesus a little bit more!