The slacker says, “There’s a lion in the road—a lion in the public square!” A door turns on its hinges, and a slacker, on his bed. The slacker buries his hand in the bowl; he is too weary to bring it to his mouth! In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser than seven who can answer sensibly.
Proverbs 26:13-16
There are few jobs you can have in the summer that are as demanding and exhausting as being on staff at a camp. When everyone is doing their part and giving their best, camp runs smoothly, and even the hardest tasks become enjoyable.
However when there is a person on staff who is a slacker, the whole tone of the summer is changed. Proverbs 26 gives a poetic description of a slacker—one who doesn’t want to work hard and is lazy. Today’s verses give you a way to spot the slacker on your summer staff.
He makes lame excuses as to why he can’t work—There’s a lion in the road. The image here is of one who has no end of excuses as to why they can’t do the work they are supposed to do. Lions were not a problem in the towns. They lived in the wilderness. They wouldn’t be found on the road in the day when people were out and about. A slacker is one who whines about why he can’t do what is supposed to be done. It’s too hot. It’s too hard. I don’t like my coworkers. And so on.
He never advances beyond the easy—he is like a door. A door remains in the same place, just moving back and forth on its hinges. A slacker will do what is easy. They still contribute, but they won’t go beyond their comfort zone. They prefer what is easy and doesn’t require much effort. (Ready to do some hard work, check out our article Putting it to Death.)
He gives up easily—he buries his hand in the bowl and won't lift it to his mouth. A slacker won’t even do what is necessary if it requires too much work.
He thinks he is better than everyone else and perhaps that is why he can feel justified in not working. He is wiser. His time is more valuable. He thinks certain tasks are below him. (To learn where pride comes from, check out this devotion.)
If the slacker you spot is you, then make sure you step up your service for the glory of God and the benefit of those you serve with on staff.
