Impulsiveness, Laziness, and Wicked People

Proverbs 6:1-19

1 My son, if you become surety for your friend,
If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 You are snared by the words of your mouth;
You are taken by the words of your mouth.

3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
For you have come into the hand of your friend:
Go and humble yourself;
Plead with your friend.

4 Give no sleep to your eyes,
Nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no captain,
Overseer or ruler,
8 Provides her supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.

9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,

And your need like an armed man.

12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
13 He winks with his eyes,
He shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;

14 Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly;
Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.

16 These six things the LORD hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:

17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

The first half of this chapter talks about three things for our understanding to make us wise.  They are impulsiveness, laziness, and recognizing wicked people who live opposed to God’s word and holy character.  First is the warning to not commit to a binding contract without considering all the circumstances and consequences first, for God holds us accountable to our words and vows of promise we commit ourselves to (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).  If we have gotten into such a situation, the advice here is to do everything in our power to beg to be let go of that obligation.  Wisdom demands that we put all our effort into this as a heartfelt plea, and to do it with humility, which implies not using force or argument.  Only then can we be set free from the trap we have blundered into due to a lapse of good judgment and understanding in wisdom, learning from the mistake so as never to repeat it.  

The second section of this half of the chapter deals with laziness, the opposite of impulsive behavior, which is complete inaction.  The example of ants is provided in God’s wisdom to assist our understanding of laboring as the opposite of laziness.  It is as a slap in the face to awaken the sluggish ones from doing nothing.  Even the New Testament writers remind us that if a man does not work, neither will he have food to eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12); he cannot rely on misplaced charity to rob others when he has the ability to earn a living, yet refuses as an self-entitled sluggard.  Oversleeping and refusal to work mesmerizes int such complacency that a man is easily robbed of what little he has.  We are called to better things, of zeal and effort in God’s work (Titus 2:14, 2 Corinthians 9:2).

The third section shows us the characteristics and work of wicked people to be aware of their wiles, influence, and who we should avoid having close to us.  Evil company corrupts good and godly habits which our Lord is creating in us through His sanctifying work (1 Corinthians 15:33, Philippians 1:6, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 3:18) and our efforts to follow His working (Philippians 2:12-13) by commitment to change in obedience to His word.  We are told to watch out for those who entice and deceive through attractive mannerisms like winking the eye to signal going along with evil, pointing accusing fingers to divert accountability, and twisting facts with fictitious stories.  Understanding reveals that the wicked are really only concocting evil plans from a heart of darkness, thinking perverse things and sowing discord among the brethren of the Lord.  Such worm their way with religious word into our assemblies that they may disrupt our peace and cause some to sin (2 Timothy 2:16-17, 3:6).  Their evil will return to fall on their own heads.  Wisdom then also realizes what are abominable things to God, that we may avoid getting involved with or even considering.  The seven (not an exhaustive list by any means) are pride, lying, murder, evil plans against others, a desire to pursue evil, false testimony, and the one sowing discord among God’s people.  These echo the commandments of God and further explanations given by Jesus Christ and His apostles who penned the way of life and living for us in the scriptures.  May we learn wisdom through understanding these words of truth and life.