THE ART OF LEADERSHIP
Idleness is a state of not working, not being active, not being employed and doing nothing. Idle people habitually do nothing and avoid work. Can you imagine what it is like to be surrounded by idle people? Can you imagine what a leader would be like if he were subdued by idleness? There would be no work done!
Three Things You Should Know About Idleness
- Idleness is the negative trait that accounts for most of the hunger in this world. You see, as the verse below states, an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an IDLE SOUL SHALL SUFFER HUNGER.
Proverbs 19:15
In fact, the Bible states clearly that those who do not work should not eat. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). This means that you should expect hunger when you do not work. Not working leads to poverty and poverty leads to hunger. That is why Solomon observed that a little slumber, a little sleep and a little folding of the arms to rest lead you to poverty. “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man” (Proverbs 6:10-11). Beware of idleness!
- Idleness is the negative personal trait that accounts for decay and deterioration of everything.
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and THROUGH IDLENESS of the hands THE HOUSE DROPPETH THROUGH.
Ecclesiastes 10:18
Decay and deterioration are real enemies that fight out forward movement. Idleness will not make us maintain the house. Idleness will not make us fix the roof. Idleness will not make us fix the detected rot – the little detected rot then brings down the whole roof because it was not fixed. Anything around you will degenerate when you do not rise up to make it stay in shape. Houses, roads, bridges; name them, are prone to deterioration when they are not made to stay in shape. What prevents this maintenance is the state of doing nothing. And the state of doing nothing is called idleness! May we fight idleness in such a way that it will not be found amongst us! May we abhor idleness and that which it comes with by working hard!
- Idleness is a negative personal trait that God considers to be a sin.
Behold, THIS WAS THE INIQUITY of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and ABUNDANCE OF IDLENESS was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Ezekiel 16:49
Sin immediately puts idleness in another category. We may have considered it merely a weakness in some people. But the Bible tells us here that abundance of idleness is iniquity. And iniquity is sin! This means that we ought to fight idleness the same way we fight any other sin. We ought not to encourage idleness! Just as we would not countenance stealing and lying, we should not approve of idleness.
The Crow and the Rabbit
Mr. Rabbit was walking down the road when he spotted a crow at the top of a very tall tree. He shouted, “Good morning, Mr. Crow.” Mr. Crow shouted back down, “Good morning Mr. Rabbit.” Mr. Rabbit shouted up, “Whatcha doin’ today?” and the answer shouted back down was, “Absolutely nothin’ Mr. Rabbit – Absolutely nothin’ and loving it.”
Well, that sounded pretty good to Mr. Rabbit, so he shouted back up, “Do you think I could do that too?” Mr. Crow shouted back down, “I don’t ‘see why not!” So, Mr. Rabbit lay down on the side of the road and began doing “absolutely nothing”. In less than 30 minutes, Mr. Fox came along and ate up Mr. Rabbit for his lunch.
Mr. Rabbit was shocked that he had been eaten by Mr. Fox. But it was a hard lesson for Mr. Rabbit. You cannot get away with doing absolutely nothing. You can only get away with doing absolutely nothing if you are at the very top. The crow was at the very top of the tree and that is why he could get away with doing “absolutely nothing.” Do not be like Mr. Rabbit and wish to do absolutely nothing. Very few people, if any, are at the very top and can afford to do absolutely nothing.
A leader must fight idleness with all his strength. Idleness produces nothing! The aim of every leader is to achieve some set goals. Idleness fights achievement! Idleness fights steadfastness! Idleness fights work! And now we know that idleness is also a sin! Let us pray for our leaders that they will not be surrounded by idle people and that idleness will not overpower them!
theaol@ymail.com
By Dag Heward-Mills