Knowing and Overcoming Sloth

Have you heard the Procrastinator’s Poem? It goes like this:

I’ve gone for a drink and sharpened my pencils, searched through my desk for forgotten utensils.

I reset my watch, I adjusted my chair, I’ve loosened my tie and straightened my hair.

I filled my pen and tested the blotter, and gone for another drink of water.

Adjusted the calendar, and raised the blinds, and I’ve sorted erasers of all different kinds.

Now down to work I can finally sit; oops, too late; it’s time to quit.


And this morning, I saw the following news story:

"MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A restaurant worker was accused of trashing the place in an attempt to get fired and collect unemployment compensation. A criminal complaint filed Thursday said a 35-year-old man showed up at a Qdoba restaurant and started throwing brownies and cookies on the floor. The man then went into the kitchen and threw pots and pans around, then went into a storage area and threw boxes of hot sauce on the floor. Police said the man told them he was trying to get fired and couldn't collect unemployment if he simply quit."

The question I want to have answered is this: Even though he has been arrested, if he is now fired, will he still be able to receive unemployment compensation?

Today as we continue our series into knowing and overcoming sin, we are going to look at the sin of “sloth.” The picture above is of a sloth – kind of cute, I think. I was curious about whether the animal called a sloth has gotten a bad rap, so I looked up some information about sloths. Did you know that sloths mostly just eat the buds, leaves, and tender shoots of the trees they hang around in? These leaves have very little energy or nutritional value and are very hard to digest, but this is not a problem for a sloth. The sloth stomach is unusually large and specially designed with multiple compartments in which bacteria grow and help digest the tough leaves. If you followed the path of one leave from mouth to, well, where it goes inside a sloth’s body, it would take more than a month until the digestible parts are digested and the other parts go, well, where they go. A sloth stomach is so large it can weigh two-thirds of the sloth’s total weight. But even with these measures, sloths take in very little in the way of calories, and so the result is that sloths have very slow metabolic rates for their size. Even their body temperature is quite low, around 90 degrees F, and it drops further into the mid 80s when resting, which they do a lot. It takes less energy to maintain a lower temperature; indeed, given where they live (South and Central America), most of the time they simply exist at “room” temperature.

You may feel that I am telling you more than you ever wanted to know about sloths, but I have more; a lot more. Sloths spend nearly all their time hanging upside down in trees. They move only when necessary, and when they do move, they do so quite slowly. Sloths have only a quarter as much muscle tissue as other, similarly sized animals. Sloths do go to the ground when they have to go to the bathroom, but because their metabolisms are so slow, they only go to the bathroom once a week! Scientists think the reason they don’t just do their business in the trees is because it makes too much noise and can attract predators.

Sloths move so little that two kinds of algae grow in their fur. This actually helps camouflage them, because the algae also grow in the trees. A wide variety of insects feed on this algae, and as a result, many insects make their homes inside sloth fur.

Given all that I have learned about sloths, I have to conclude that they actually are a very good symbol for the sin we will talk about today. Now, the English word “sloth” is of course not the word used in the Bible or in the writings of the early church; the key word in Latin is acedia, and it means laziness or apathy. This second half of the definition, the idea of not caring, is lost in our English definitions, but I think it very important. Apathy goes hand in hand with cynicism, and in our culture, far from being a sin, it can often be seen as a sign you are “cool.” To actually care is a sign that you are a geek or a nerd or whatever you call that today.

Now, the Latin word comes from a similar word in Greek, akedia, which simply means an absence of caring. So I find it fascinating that as the concept has moved from the New Testament meaning (the Greek) to Latin to English, the primary meaning has almost completely been lost and replaced by the idea of laziness.

Now, laziness and apathy are certainly related, but to me, the idea of apathy goes deeper into core motivations of people. Laziness can be seen more as a fruit, or result, of apathy. For me, looking at it in this way, this sin of sloth becomes much more serious and important than I might have guessed at first.

Now, as we have gone through this series, we have provided data about our culture. One reason we have done this is so that you can better understand people who don’t know Jesus. Another reason is to get you to become more able to look at your culture from the view of an outsider. We are to be in the world but not of the world. Our culture has changed dramatically over the last 50 years, even over the last 15 years. We need to understand these changes so that we can live as God would want us to live and so that we can reach the lost.

When one thinks about evidences or signs of sloth, it is natural to think about the degree to which our culture is consumed with a desire for entertainment. Now, I am not saying that it is sin to be entertained, but all things should be done in balance, and I think our culture is out of balance. I specifically want to look at some data on TV watching, video games, and internet use. Again, I am not saying that any of these things are wrong, but doing them all day long is wrong.

Here is some data on TV watching from Nielson, the guys who determine the ratings of various TV shows. This data is from 2006. First of all, the average number of people per American household is 2.55. Do you know the average number of TVs per household? 2.73! There are more TVs than people in people’s homes and apartments! This is a relatively recent change. In 1975, the percentage of households that had 3 or more TVs was 11%, but today it is over 50%. How much TV do people watch? Well, the average American household has at least one of their TVs on for over 8 hours per day. And the average American watches TV for 4 hours and 35 minutes per day. That’s a lot of TV watching!

As for video games and internet use, I had some difficulty finding US data, but I found some very recent data for England. Except perhaps for Canada, I think culturally we are closer to England than any other country. In a 2008 study of teenagers, it was found that per year, the average teenager spends 2000 hours watching TV, playing video games, and using the internet. Per day, the time spent is 2½ hours watching TV, 1½ hours playing video games, and another 1½ hours on the internet, for a total of 5½ hours per day. Compare that total of 2000 hours per year with the total number of hours in school; it is actually more than double! Teens spend 900 hours per year in school. Aren’t these remarkable numbers?

Now, what does the Bible have to say about sloth? Quite a bit! In the Old Testament, Proverbs especially has a lot to say. Here are some selected verses from Proverbs:

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. – Prov. 6:6-8

I like this passage because it deals with one of key facets of a slothful life: People struggle with work when they aren’t driven to do so. The ant is pointed out because it keeps on working despite not having a boss barking orders at it. The point is that people of faith should similarly have the internal character to do be diligent and do the work that needs to be done. In fact, another verse explains that the eventual fruit of slothfulness is, in fact, slavery:

Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor. – Prov. 12:24

A number of verses talk about how the result of sloth is poverty and ruin. Here are some:

How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A
little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. – Prov. 6:9-11

Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. – Prov. 10:4

Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry. – Prov. 19:15

A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing. – Prov. 20:4

There are other verses that talk about how a slothful person hurts those who depend on him.

He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. – Prov. 10:5

As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him. – Prov. 10:26

We may not appreciate that part about vinegar, but understand that our vinegar is quite watered down. Picture something more like lemon juice and you get the idea. And if you have ever been completely overcome by smoke at a campfire or barbecue, you understand the analogy.

There are other verses that talk about the cravings of the slothful. It is ironic that often the person who doesn’t want to work also wants the best toys or possessions.

The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. – Prov. 13:4

The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. – Prov. 21:25

There is actually quite a bit of humor in Proverbs, especially in how it describes the slothful person. In describing how such a person always has some excuse for their behavior, regardless of how farfetched it is, we have this:

The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!" – Prov. 26:13

But perhaps my favorite is this one:

As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. – Prov. 26:14

Can you picture this? Sleeping on your left side, and then turning over to your right? The door swings one way, and then the other? Neither go anywhere! They just turn back and forth, back and forth.

The New Testament also has a lot to say about this.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. – 2 Thess. 3:6-13

This topic of idleness is one of the two or three major themes of the entire book of 2 Thessalonians. Paul tells them to stay away from idle “brothers”, that is, people who call themselves Christian but don’t want to work. Paul also talked about how he and Silas and Timothy worked hard while they were with them so as to not be any kind of burden and so as to be a living example for them. I believe this lesson applies to us as well. In fact, it applies both ways to us: we should learn from Paul and his example, and we should be examples to others. Several years ago, when I went on a short-term mission trip to Mongolia, when we got there, I learned that the leaders were just as excited about the fact that I was a living example by being a regular working person teaching in their church as they were about what the content of my teaching. I think this principle also applies to fathers modeling steady work to their children.

The passage also talks about how idle people tend to get into trouble and cause trouble. There is an important truth here. Slothful people do not, in general, sit at home eating bonbons. They may actually be just as busy or even busier than other people. But they are busy doing the wrong kinds of things. The play on words between “busy” and “busybodies” is in the Greek, by the way; the words are ergazomai and periergazomai. The prefix peri means around or about. Just like our word busybody, it has the connotation of someone who is getting into other people’s business, and making big deals out of things that are unimportant.

As important as this topic of work is, however, I think there are even more important applications of these principles.

We can be spiritual sluggards, spiritual sloths. When we don’t spend time in the Word or in prayer, or when we men don’t take spiritual responsibility for our families, or when we don’t share the gospel with those who are hurting around us, we are a kind of spiritual sloth. And this kind of slothfulness can creep up on us, little by little.

God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. – Hebrews 6:10-12

Lazy is something we can become, all of us, at any time. We can use the busyness of daily life as an excuse for spiritual laziness. Do not let this happen; if it has happened, do not stay there, but recommit your schedule and your priorities to God. Let Him set your priorities, and let your highest priority be connecting with Him and obeying Him as He leads you through His Word and through prayer.

The passage says this takes faith and patience. Faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God. I find the inclusion of patience very interesting. If you think about it, it makes sense. Impatience can cause us to say, “It’s too hard. I can’t do it. Impatience can cause us to shirk our responsibilities and shrink away from big jobs, and there is no bigger job than keeping yourself on the potter’s wheel for the rest of your life.

Perhaps part of the problem is that we really don’t hear the first part of this passage. Did you hear it? God will not forget your work! He will remember it! He will boast of it! He will speak to you about it and tell you what a great job you did! Do you believe this? Do you really believe it?

I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? – II Cor. 11:26-29

Do we really understand at all how hard Paul worked to share the gospel? Do we understand what he suffered, what he risked? Paul labored and toiled and went without sleep and food and shelter. But even harder to understand is what Paul says at the end of this passage. The daily pressure of his concern for the chuches? What is this? What does Paul mean by the last part of this passage?

Paul is saying he is burdened by the depth of love he has for the people in these churches. When they struggle, it wounds him. To me, this is as far from apathy as you can possibly get.

I think of the stereotypes you hear of counselors and those in the medical profession being told that they should not get emotionally attached to their patients. Paul seems to live the opposite. He holds nothing back in his attachment. I believe this is an essential part of overcoming sloth.

Remember what Jesus said, when asked what is the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself.

A main reason for apathy about spiritual things is that we don’t love God enough. A main reason for apathy about other things is that we don’t love our “neighbors” enough, whether they are family members, friends, other believers, or coworkers. For people who struggle with not wanting to work, the problem is selfishness, and a main reason for it is that they don’t love enough those who depend on them. A main reason we can be apathetic about witnessing, telling others what God has done for us and has done for them, is that we don’t love the lost enough. This is a serious issue! We are falling short on the two greatest commandments!

Listen to what Paul says in Phil. 3 and 4:

Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! – Phil. 3:17-4:1

In this passage you can so clearly see Paul’s love for Christ and his love for people. He cries over those who are apathetic about God. And with a zealous love, with excitement like that of a racehorse about to start a race, he eagerly awaits being with Jesus, transformed by Him. And he has that same zealous love for his friends, whom it says he loves and longs for and even calls them his joy and his crown, his dear friends.

In America we have just celebrated the holiday of Valentine’s Day. The best records going back to the 200s or 300s AD indicate that there were several St. Valentines – it was a common name. Each of them is remembered because they were martyrs for their faith. They were imprisoned, and no doubt continued to love and minister even while imprisoned. They were asked to recant their faith, to renounce the name of Jesus, but they refused. They loved Jesus and ministering to their “neighbors,” whoever they were, more than they loved their own lives. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Let us do the same, for Jesus, for our families, for each other, and for the world’s lost, and we will never have a problem with sloth.