Proverbs 18:9-10
The one who is slack in his work
is a brother to one who destroys.
The name of the Lord is like a strong tower;
the righteous person runs to it and is set safely on high.
There is a house you don’t want to live next to. There are two sons who spend most of their days at home. One of the sons is known for his destructive habits and actions. The other son is known for being lazy. Living next to them puts you in a very dangerous position. You may find yourself under attack from the destroyer. Or you may find yourself dealing with the issues that arise from having a lazy neighbor. The grass is never cut, the bushes are never trimmed.
In fact, that’s what we’ve faced for a long time. Not the anger, but certainly having to deal with those who are slack in their work. In particular, when it comes to caring for the bushes that line our driveway. At least they used to be bushes. But not anymore. They used to be a hedge that was pretty thick and provided some privacy. Now, they’ve grown into trees and no longer provide privacy. Now they’re just a pain. Since they’re bushes that aren’t supposed to grow tall, when they do get tall and it rains, they hang over into our driveway. And when I cut them down I have to figure out what to do with it…
The thing is, that’s a pretty small price to pay when you think about some of the possibilities that could arise. Your very own safety could be at risk because of your neighbors slack in caring for their house.
Aside form the house, there are plenty of other implications about these brothers. They don’t work at home and they don’t work at work. They are slack in what they do, therefore they never do anything.
Regardless of who you live next to, the real question is what kind of person are you? Are you a risk to those around you. Are you destructive or lazy? If you are, your life isn’t the only one you affect. You affect others around you. So, instead be righteous. And as you are righteous, you will find protection in the Lord’s tower. And you will dwell safely on high.
