A Hedge of Thorns

The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns. But the way of the upright is a highway. Proverbs 15:19 (NKJV)

When we become lazy it is easy to feel stuck. Think about when we just sit on the couch all day we experience a lack of energy. After awhile we become lonely because we have secluded ourselves and now we are just watching the world pass us by. The longer we do this the more time the hedges of thorns grow up around us leaving us nowhere to go. Now we are trapped and realize this is something we brought upon ourselves.

We have been failing not only ourselves, but failing God in this process of being lazy. If we follow the example from God He is always on the move. There is always something to do! It begins with most people getting their children ready and sending them off to school. Then there is the to-do-list around the house or running errands. Most people have jobs that they go to. This is more than likely a daily routine and when we call it a day we feel like we have accomplished something.

We should want to go above and beyond though. Making time for the Lord and doing God's will is what we should be doing. We need to make time for spreading the Good News. Often times we say reaching out to others is a priority and everything seems to be urgent right now. The fact is we can't accomplish anything by talking about it. We have an obligation to spread God's love and be the light of the world. This will never happen if we are sitting around and being lazy. We need to be active and not just talk about it.

When we do nothing those hedges of thorns start closing in on us and the longer we are complacent the closer those thorns close in on us. The hedges of thorns begin to smother us and as they prick us it causes pain. Physically our bones start to ache and our muscles become weak. Emotionally we become very lonely and some experience anxiety causing them to lose hope. It is hard to move when you feel stuck and feel like there is no way out. Spiritually we feel like we are very far away from God and this is due to living by the way we feel. Spending time doing what we want rather than what God is leading us to do.

As Christians we know we are not to have idle hands. Take the time to start tearing down those hedges releasing the pressure of those prickly thorns. Once you free yourself I hope you use your time wisely. Take the time to stay busy making the most of each and every day. When living like this the highway becomes a wide open clear passage for us to travel efficiently following the well organized way God has planned for us.