Welfare Lumps

(Pro 18:9 KJV) He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

Is this verse an indictment of the various forms of government subsidies that we often lump under the title “welfare”.  The forms of these payments are legion.  Many of us might be getting it and been able to ignore the fact.  I think that we can remove from consideration the categories of widows and orphans.  The Bible has enough to say about helping them that we know they are not included.  Some, such as Medicare and Medicaid are iffy.  What I think this refers to is able bodied adults who refuse to support themselves.

This refusal can take many forms.  The guy who refuses to get a second job or turns down overtime because he is involved in a softball league would fit the bill.  The guy who wants to hang with his homies and forces his wife to get a job would qualify.  When I was a pastor I was bothered by the number of preachers I knew who refused to ask their church for a raise but saw no problem with sending their wife off to work while the kids went to day care.

So?  This might not refer to you in any way.  It might only be a reminder that we are not supposed to be enablers of those who rely on our sympathy.  Sloth is a sin.