Proverbs 6:6-11 “Why Ants Don’t Have Snooze Buttons”

“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.

“How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep – so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man.”

I think snooze buttons make no sense. When the alarm goes off, get up. If you have time to ‘snooze’ for 30 minutes, just set the alarm for 30 minutes later. Then you will get uninterrupted sleep. One day I mentioned this to my oldest son and he responded, “Dad, you’re right. Right now, snooze buttons make no sense, but when the alarm goes off at 5 o’clock in the morning, they make a lot of sense.” I suppose that is some form of the Theory of Relativity.

Regardless of whether you are for or against snooze buttons, you should stand firmly against slothfulness. This is one of the easiest traps for people to fall into, especially in our day of television, internet, and a plethora of other electronic distractions. Often, we don’t even realize we are being lazy because we are busy. We are deceived into thinking that we need more sleep, we need more time surfing the web, we need to see the latest episode. All the while, life passes us by and we fail to accomplish all that God has designed for us.

The solution? Observe the ant. Everything the ant does is done with a purpose of storing up for the winter, collecting food for later use. The ant does not get distracted by things that don’t matter to its one purpose. No one tells the ant to get out of bed and get busy doing something useful. Ants have no need of snooze buttons because they are diligent. God designed the ant with unwavering diligence, and we can learn from it. Here are some questions to help you get started.

• Am I doing what is most important as opposed to what entertains me?
• If for the next five years I keep doing what I have done in the last 30 days, will it have a meaningful outcome?
• Will what I am doing now count in 5 years? 10 years? Eternity?
• Do I enjoy gadgets more than the study of God’s Word?

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 10:4; 13:4; 20:4; Romans 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:6

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“There are lazy minds as well as lazy bodies.” – Benjamin Franklin

Proverbs 5:1-2 “The Call to Wisdom”

"My son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ear to my understanding, that you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge."

These verses introduce the 8th of 10 appeals by the father to his son. (This appeal is in relation to sexuality purity.) The son is exhorted to learn from the father’s wisdom and understanding. Rather than learning through painful experience, the wise person will learn from those who are older and truly love them. The son is urged to pay close attention because what the father is about to tell him is important and will help him resist temptations common to youth. Because the father loves his son and knows what is about to be said will help him, he gives a second call for the son to pay attention and not turn a deaf ear to what follows.

Of course, the purpose of the appeal is for the son’s benefit. By listening and heeding the following warnings, the son will be able to both act wisely (“preserve discretion”) and speak wisely (“your lips may keep knowledge”).

It is common in our culture to have low expectations for young people. However, Solomon clearly expects the hearers of these words to have discretion and knowledge. As a young person, you can reject the low expectations of society, learn from those who are wise (including the Bible), and avoid the pitfalls that your peers fall into. The first step is by listening and paying attention to your parents.
Finally, the penalty for not paying attention and not heeding the words of the father is given in the last two verses of this chapter.

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 16:23; 20:15; 22:17; Mark 4:23; James 1:19

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“I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.”  - Abraham Lincoln

Proverbs 4:7 “How to Gain Wisdom”

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and in all thy getting, get understanding.”

How to gain wisdom:

1. Fear the Lord, for that is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10; 15:33)
2. Ask God for wisdom with the belief that He will give it. (Psalm 90:12; James 1:5-7)
3. Seek wisdom relentlessly. Make it the priority of your life. (Proverbs 2:1-9; 18:15; 19:20)
4. Learn and obey God’s commands and the commands of Christ. (Deuteronomy 4:1-6; Proverbs 10:8; 28:7; Matt. 6:33)
5. Have an attitude of humility (Proverbs 3:7; 11:2; 15:33; 22:17; Romans 12:16; Luke 14:8-11)
6. Accept discipline and correction (Proverbs 9:8; 12:15; 15:31; 17:10)
7. Walk with the wise (Proverbs 13:20; 22:17; 27:17)
8. Fear and depart from evil (Proverbs 3:7; 14:16)
9. Abstain from alcohol (Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-35; 31:4; Isaiah 28:7; Hosea 4:11)
10. Control your tongue (Proverbs 10:19; 17:27; 29:11; James 1:19; 3:2)

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 16:6; Ecclesiastes 7:12; Matthew 6:33; 13:44-46

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“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” – Philippians 3:8

Proverbs 3:11-12 “The Blessing of Correction”

“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.”

Correction often pricks our pride. The suffering with it often puts us in the foulest of moods and we blame others for our problems and misery. But this verse puts a different viewpoint on suffering. The Lord may be correcting us, and as such, we should cling to the Lord. Correction is a blessing! What joy it is to know that the sovereign, almighty Father loves us so much that He wants correct us before we stray too far! We should not despise God for bringing correction into our life, but rather thank Him and praise Him for it because it will deepen our intimacy with Him if we only submit.

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Related Scriptures: Job 5:17; Psalm 94:12; 1 Corinthians 11:32; Hebrews 12:5-6; Revelation 3:19

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“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” – 1 Corinthians 4:16-17

Proverbs 2:4-5 “Mining the Riches of God’s Word”

“If thou seekest her [wisdom] as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”

How do you seek silver? You dig for it. How do you search for hidden treasures? You dig for them. Both silver and hidden treasure requires diligence and toil, but there is also enthusiasm. Wisdom is the same way. You are enthusiastic, but still you expend effort and time to get the ‘ore’ from the Word of God. Then, through meditation, you refine the ‘ore’ and make it part of you. Finally comes the greatest benefit: you understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 3:14-15; 8:18-19; Mat. 6:19-21

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“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” – Jesus in Matthew 6:33

Proverbs 1:7 “What makes knowledge profitable?”

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Knowledge profits nothing if one does not fear the Lord. Knowledge without a reverence toward God is not useful and leads only to false conclusions and pride. This is seen so well in the belief of evolution. Anyone looking at a building would say it had a designer. But the same person, looking at the human body which is much more complex than a building, will say it happen by chance. Why? Because they do not fear the Lord and despise wisdom and instruction. They have made themselves out to be fools because they do not fear the Lord.

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 9:10; Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Ecclesiastes 12:13

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“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin

Proverbs 31:4-5 “Dangers of Drinking”

“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.”

This verse gives a strong warning against the consumption of alcohol by royalty. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are royalty in God’s family and should heed this warning. Consuming alcohol lowers a person’s perception of right and wrong and immediately begins to pull the Christian from the paths of righteousness. While it may seem pleasurable for the moment, the compromising of character makes alcohol an evil no Christian should gamble with.

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Related Scripture: Leviticus 10:9-10; Ecclesiastes 10:17; Isaiah 28:7-8; Hosea 4:11

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“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” – Proverbs 20:1