KFLCC Kingdom Economics

F INANCIAL S ECURITY IN THE L AST D AYS

delivered and clean for a set period of time; and then the inheritance is distributed over time and not in a lump sum. As a caring father, I refuse to have what we have worked for in our earthly life used to assist either child who would not be in a spiritual condition to have the wisdom to use the inheritance wisely. 2. The Spirit of the Sluggard Often we speak of someone being lazy, or we see someone who sleeps late, or refuses to work when he has both the mind and strength to do so. In Proverbs, Solomon calls this type of person a sluggard. The Hebrew word for sluggard is also used by Solomon and translated as slothful. There is an animal called a sloth, and there are six species of sloths that live in Central and South America. They are known for sleeping ten to eighteen hours a day, eating, and being too lazy to clean themselves. They hang upside for hours without moving. They can eat, sleep, and give birth while simply hanging from limbs of trees. They have actually been seen still hanging from a tree after their death! This is the imagery Solomon had in mind when he warned of a person being lazy and slothful. Solomon warned of the slothful and the sluggish man. A sluggard loves sleep (Prov. 6:9), and dealing with them is an agitation, like vinegar on the teeth and smoke in the eyes (Prov. 10:26). They always desire something but are too lazy to work for it (Prov. 13:4). They will not plow because the weather is never perfect enough for them, thus they will eventually become beggars (Prov. 20:4). A sluggard will always think he is right and everyone else is wrong (Prov. 26:16). A slothful person will always be in debt (Prov. 12:24), and will hunt food, catch it, but never cook it (Prov. 12:27). He will waste time if he is at work (Prov. 18:9) and is often too lazy to work (Prov. 21:25). A sluggard will allow weeds to grow and take no pride in his property or farm (Prov. 24:30-31). A sloth is simply a person who is lazy and who refuses to gain knowledge, heed instruction or seek after wisdom. He will come to poverty and shame. The world is full of sluggards who financially live off others without making an effort to support themselves with the works of their hands. Most sluggards love the concept of redistribution of wealth, which to them means that a significant share of the money someone receives from working hard should go to them for doing nothing. These Proverbs tell what happens to the sluggard and lazy person who won’t accept correction:

124