Spiritual Nomads

(Proverbs 24:34 KJV)  So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

Sloth, which is the cause of what is happening in this verse, is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.  The reason is it destroys lives.  Here it tells us that it causes “poverty” (7369).  I know that is not popular and it certainly is not politically correct.  Yes, oppression, prejudice and greed cause people to be in want, but in our country the biggest cause of poverty is sloth.

Poverty sneaks up on you.  It will “come” (935) as “one that traveleth" (robber NASB) (1980).  Again we see that the KJV gets closer to the literal meaning.  In the NASB we need to go to the marginal reading which says “robber” means “vagabond or literally one who walks.”  Sounds like a sneak to me.  In the days of Solomon it would reminded people of the desert nomads who did not have any permanent roots.  Today we might think of the homeless. 

Sloth degrades.  Sloth robs.  Sloth destroys.

So?  Rejoice that someone taught you it was important to get up and go to work.  We enjoy our weekends and holidays, true, but what gives those times the joy is the work that brackets them.  Don’t let leisure and short cuts rob you of your joy and purpose.