Pro 10:5 | KingComments | STEP | These verses connect to the previous verse. That God provides ( ) does not mean that man should not work to earn his bread ( ). Here laziness and poverty are linked on the one hand, and diligence and wealth on the other. Laziness causes poverty, and diligence results in wealth. A “negligent hand” is a slack, lazy hand, a hand that seems to perform something, but in reality does nothing. It is a hand that deceives, that disappoints, because nothing is done with it. He who is lazy will become poor. Diligence, or zeal, is a condition for becoming rich. Paul warns against laziness ( ). Ruth is an example of one who is diligent ( ). Diligence includes seeing and making use of the time to work. It is not to work only when we are in the mood for it. Work should be done when the opportunity is there, or, as the Lord Jesus says of Himself, that He works “as long as it is day” ( ). A son of wisdom will gather “in summer” ( ; ). By this he proves that he is “a son who acts wisely”. Harvest is the right time to do the right thing. Joseph acted as a wise son by gathering that abundance in a time of plenty and saving it for the ‘meager’ years ( ). When we take full advantage of the suitable occasion, making the most of our time ( ), we are as “a son who acts wisely”. This has everything to do with learning the will of God, which He makes known to those who want to be obedient. Young people show that they are sons who act wisely when they are diligent in studying the Word of God. They then heed the exhortation given by Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes: “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come” ( ). Opposed to a wise son is the son who “sleeps in harvest”. While everyone is hard at work bringing in the harvest, this son lies in bed fast asleep. Thus he lets the time of gathering pass and will have nothing when he wakes up. The Lord Jesus says: “The fields are white for harvest” ( ). But He unfortunately also has to say: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” ( ; ). Many Christians have fallen into a deep spiritual sleep. They are busy doing many things for themselves and not working for the Lord. A son who sleeps at harvest time is not only shortchanging himself. He “is a son who acts shamefully”, that is, he also shames and shortchanges his father who taught him wisdom. He behaves shamefully by neglecting his duty out of laziness, although he knows it. Demas is an example of one who shames others. Paul must say with sadness to Timothy that Demas had “loved the present age” ( ). Unfaithful believers shame believers who have prayed and struggled for their spiritual welfare (cf. ). Christians who do not respond to the calling with which God has called them put God the Father to shame. God is ashamed of them. The people of God who had returned from Babylon to Judah and Jerusalem shamed God by saying that it was not the right time for the building of the house of God ( ). They ran hard for their own houses, while any effort for the house of God was too much for them.

‏ Proverbs 10:5

To Work Diligently in Summer

These verses connect to the previous verse. That God provides (Pro 10:3) does not mean that man should not work to earn his bread (Pro 10:4). Here laziness and poverty are linked on the one hand, and diligence and wealth on the other. Laziness causes poverty, and diligence results in wealth. A “negligent hand” is a slack, lazy hand, a hand that seems to perform something, but in reality does nothing. It is a hand that deceives, that disappoints, because nothing is done with it. He who is lazy will become poor. Diligence, or zeal, is a condition for becoming rich. Paul warns against laziness (2Thes 3:7-12). Ruth is an example of one who is diligent (Rth 2:2 ; 19).

Diligence includes seeing and making use of the time to work. It is not to work only when we are in the mood for it. Work should be done when the opportunity is there, or, as the Lord Jesus says of Himself, that He works “as long as it is day” (Jn 9:4). A son of wisdom will gather “in summer” (Pro 10:5; Pro 6:6-8 ; Pro 30:25). By this he proves that he is “a son who acts wisely”. Harvest is the right time to do the right thing. Joseph acted as a wise son by gathering that abundance in a time of plenty and saving it for the ‘meager’ years (Gen 41:46-56).

When we take full advantage of the suitable occasion, making the most of our time (Eph 5:15-16), we are as “a son who acts wisely”. This has everything to do with learning the will of God, which He makes known to those who want to be obedient. Young people show that they are sons who act wisely when they are diligent in studying the Word of God. They then heed the exhortation given by Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes: “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come” (Ecc 12:1a).

Opposed to a wise son is the son who “sleeps in harvest”. While everyone is hard at work bringing in the harvest, this son lies in bed fast asleep. Thus he lets the time of gathering pass and will have nothing when he wakes up. The Lord Jesus says: “The fields are white for harvest” (Jn 4:35). But He unfortunately also has to say: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Mt 9:37; Lk 10:2). Many Christians have fallen into a deep spiritual sleep. They are busy doing many things for themselves and not working for the Lord.

A son who sleeps at harvest time is not only shortchanging himself. He “is a son who acts shamefully”, that is, he also shames and shortchanges his father who taught him wisdom. He behaves shamefully by neglecting his duty out of laziness, although he knows it. Demas is an example of one who shames others. Paul must say with sadness to Timothy that Demas had “loved the present age” (2Tim 4:10). Unfaithful believers shame believers who have prayed and struggled for their spiritual welfare (cf. 1Jn 2:28).

Christians who do not respond to the calling with which God has called them put God the Father to shame. God is ashamed of them. The people of God who had returned from Babylon to Judah and Jerusalem shamed God by saying that it was not the right time for the building of the house of God (Hag 1:2-3). They ran hard for their own houses, while any effort for the house of God was too much for them.