Lazy

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 24:30-34

TO CHEW ON: "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." Proverbs 24:33,34

What does it mean to be lazy? Read what a dictionary says.

Below are some ways people might act. Which of these actions could you mark with an L to show the person might be lazy?

1. ___ Begins work on the assignment right away, even though it’s not due for a week.
2. ___ Shoves things under the bed and in the closet when cleaning his room.
3. ___ Spends all day in front of the TV.
4. ___ Keeps her garden plot free of weeds.
5. ___ Never folds or hangs up her clothes.
6. ___ Does all his jobs as soon as he gets home from school.
7. ___ Hides half of his papers in the park so he won’t have to deliver them.


A. We can often tell a person is lazy by the look of his possessions. What does the lazy person’s field look like? (Proverbs 24:31) ______ What might his bedroom look like? His school locker?

B. We can tell a person is lazy by how he spends his time. What does a lazy person like to do? (Proverbs 24:33) _________ What might a lazy kid like to do?


C. How the lazy person’s life turns out. What will be the result of living a life of laziness? (Proverbs 24:34) _________

A workaholic is someone who is opposite of lazy. He likes to work all the time. Working all the time isn’t wise either. God has made us to need rest.

But we can rest too much. If all we do is spend all our time resting and avoiding work we are lazy. This isn’t wise either.

Are you lazy? Ask God to show you. Then ask Him to give you the desire and energy to work.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to get over my laziness and discover the blessing of work. Amen.


MORE: Slothful
Another word for lazy is “slothful.” It’s a word that comes from the name an animal – the sloth.

1. Find out about the sloth from books or the internet.

2. Why do you think this animal was chosen to describe laziness or a lazy person?

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.


Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Parent Problems

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 23:19-25

TO CHEW ON: "Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old." Proverbs 23:22

Have you ever had thoughts like this:

- My parents are too serious. They just want me to work and not have any fun.

- My parents are old fashioned. They don’t understand me and my friends.

- My parents don’t let me do anything. All my friends are allowed to do it, why can’t I?

Kids getting along with parents, and parents getting along with kids has been a big deal since kids and parents were invented. In our Bible reading today, Solomon gives advice to kids on how to handle all the do's and don’t's that parents give.

Which things he does not say Proverbs 23:19-25 :

1. Don’t join those who overeat and drink a lot of wine.

2. As long as there’s an adult to supervise, you can go.

3. Be disciplined.

4. Make a project out of becoming wise and getting understanding.

5. You become like the people with whom you hang out.

6. It isn’t a big deal to your parents whether or not you obey them.

7. When you show yourself a wise, good person, you’ll make your parents proud and happy.

Though it may be natural for kids and their parents to have some clashes, it’s important to remember a few things about your parents before you ignore what they say:

1. They know you very well. They have taken care of you for years and have lived with you in good times and bad.

2. They love you very much. Your parents work hard to provide food, clothes and a house for you and want only your best.

3. They have more experience than you have. They may have made some of the same mistakes they see you making. By giving you advice, they may be trying to save you from trouble.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to value, respect, obey and love my parents. Amen.

MORE: My parents

Appreciate the parents you have.

1. Write five things you like/love about your mother.

2. Write five things you like/love about your dad.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Speech Problems

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 10:18-21, 31-32

TO CHEW ON: The lips of the righteous know what finds favor, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse. Proverbs 10:32

Solomon wrote many proverbs about speech. He knew that no matter how beautiful a person was, or how much money they had, or what kind of home they lived in, their speech showed what they were really like. It showed whether they were good or bad, righteous or evil, wise or foolish.

All these years later, things haven’t changed. Our speech still shows what is in our hearts and minds. It tells the world around us whether we are wise (have good sense, good judgment and understanding) or foolish (lack good sense, good judgment and understanding).

Below (1-6) are some of Solomon’s proverbs about speech from Proverbs 10. Pick the way you’d say each proverb in today’s language (A to F).

For example, Number 1 (Whoever spreads slander is a fool) would match with C (Hurting someone with lies and gossip is foolish).

1. Whoever spreads slander is a fool.

2. When words are many, sin is not absent.

3. He who holds his tongue is wise.

4. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver.

5. The lips of the righteous nourish many.

6. The lips of the righteous know what is fitting.

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A. The words of a good person have value.

B. A good person knows the right thing to say.

C. Hurting someone with lies and gossip is foolish.

D. Good words feed your spirit.

E. It’s easy to sin when you talk a lot.

F. It’s wise to keep your mouth shut.

What’s your speech like? Is it helpful and worth listening to? Is it positive and encouraging? Or is it dirty and unhelpful, full of lies and gossip. Do you know when to stop talking or remain silent altogether? Ask God to make you a person of wise speech.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me use my tongue with wisdom. Amen

MORE: Wise Speech Banner

Make a banner about wise speech.

What you need:

-Mural paper cut into a strip 12 x 36 inches, or 3 - 4 sheets of 8½ x 11 inch paper taped together to make one long sheet.

- pencils, crayons, markers, paints

What you do:

1. Choose your favorite proverb about speech. Use the proverbs above or find one among these:

Proverbs 12:18, or 12:22 or 15:1 or 16:24 or 26:20

2. Write the proverb you picked on the banner and decorate it with crayons, markers or paints.

3. Display the banner in your room, or somewhere where you’ll see and read it often.

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Wisdom Search

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Proverbs 2:1-15

TO CHEW ON: "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6


In the Bible book of Proverbs we have many of Solomon’s wise sayings. They help us learn the wise thing to do in all kinds of times and places. Many proverbs are about speech. Others tell us how to treat people. Still others give advice on how to handle money and possessions.

Today’s reading in Proverbs 2 talks us about wisdom itself and explains where true wisdom is found. Where? Choose one (Proverbs 2:6)

University    Science    the Lord

Our parents    Life experience

If we accept that true wisdom, knowledge and understanding come from God (the Lord) we might have another question - Where do we find that wisdom?

Jesus told a story about where to find God’s wisdom and how to make it part of our lives. He had just given a long talk where He had taught many things (Matthew 5,6,7). Then He told this story:

Everyone who hears the things I have taught and does them is like a man who builds his house on a rock. When the storms come, it stands solid because it has a good foundation. But everyone who hears the things I have taught but doesn’t do them is like a man who builds his house on sand. When the storm comes, because his house has no foundation, it is flattened.

Jesus is saying that a wise life is built on His words and teachings. Of course we can’t hear Jesus’ words with our ears. But we can read them and many other things about God and what pleases Him in our Bibles. When we read and do what He says, it’s like building our house (or our life) on the rock of true wisdom.

But if we read and then don’t obey, it’s like building our life on the sand of foolishness. Our lives may stand up just fine when everything is going well. But when trouble comes, they will be wrecked.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help me to live a wise life by hearing and following Your words. Amen

MORE: Where wisdom startsThe world around us is full of voices telling us what to believe and how to live. Some of the things we hear are lies. Some of the things we hear are half-truths. And some things we hear are true.

But there is one place we can go where everything is wise and true. This place is God and His words, the Bible. Here is a verse that talks about this place. You might want to memorize it to remind you of the place where wisdom begins.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

Answers

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.



Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.