"My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go—to the point of exhaustion—and give your neighbor no rest! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
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. 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 thief and scarcity like an armed man."
Did you read that?!? In case you missed it, here it is again
(in Randerings paraphrase):
Free yourself!
Break free - whatever it takes!
Run! Run like the wind!!
Like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter...
Get out of there! Get away now!
Whatever it takes - push until you can't push any harder!
You can do it! Now, go...go, go, go!
Love. that. verse. - I love the passion and the imagery behind it! And yes, this verse is about money...and debt. God does not want us to be in debt - in fact, as you have just read, he wants us to do everything you can to run from it. If you have debt, do everything you can to get out of it!!!
Now something else I have to admit I like about this passage of scripture is what is says starting in verse 6: it is telling us not to be lazy. We are to work hard and "earn our keep". We are to plan ahead and store up for the lean times - cause if you haven't had any yet, just look...here they come. "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest..and poverty will come on you like a bandit..." This is a lesson, sadly, that many have forgotten...or even sadder, they were never taught in the first place.
But my favorite part is this: "Go to the ant, you sluggard..." I just love the way "sluggard" sounds. Say it in your mind..."Sluggard." Now say it out loud, "Slug-gard."
Wouldn't you just love to say that to someone sometime? I think, next time one of my kids is whining about doing their chores, in my deep, authoritative voice, I am going to respond with "Go to the ant, you sluggard!" **GIGGLE** (I am SO going to do that.)
But anyways...for anyone who is even vaguely familiar with Dave Ramsey, you will have recognized the gazelle reference. We love Dave Ramsey at our house...so to wrap things up properly I have attached this video. Enjoy.
If you can not see the video, please go HERE.
So in summary:
Plan for the future.
Don't be a sluggard.
And run...run like the wind!
Be blessed...
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for reading my blog. I would love to hear your comments - they encourage me so much!