A King's Epiphany

He went for a walk and had an epiphany. Imagine him slowing down and observing the vineyard in disarray, the field growing thorns, and the stone wall crumbling. He pauses and applies his heart and the observations of his eyes and shares the lesson with us.

Too much rest or slumber can lead to poverty like a thief and scarcity like an armed man. Hardship creeps up while insufficiency demands results.

A wise observation from the wisest man ever (other than Christ). King Solomon.

Proverbs 24:30 – 34 (NIV) tells us, "I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment; thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw: A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man."

Now the first time I read this, I scratched my head. Is Solomon condemning rest? Because I like my power naps a lot. But then it hit me—this landowner had been resting too much, and for too long. You see, it takes considerable time for thorns to grow and for the stone wall to crumble.

I breathed a sigh of relief. My tiny afternoon slumber can remain. After all, I'm a busy person and keep up most areas of my life—like business, housework, shopping, and so on.

But then a small voice said, "What about the areas you don't?" 

What if Solomon were to walk by me, what would he observe? Would he apply his heart, shake his head, and call me a sluggard over my exercise and food choices? Would he wag his finger at my lofty ego or stinking thinking?

And what if God ran a scan over my soul, what would He find lacking? Humility, compassion, perseverance, kindness, peace, joy? Oh, my.

Hmm…maybe I need to apply my heart and more closely observe my actions, decisions and thoughts. Examine and tweak. Scrutinize and change.

Why is this important? I'm glad you asked.

Not because my eternal home depends on it but because how I live my life here and now may influence others to consider this God I love and serve. The Creator wants to do a new thing in me—the process of sanctification—in order to make me more like His Son. Maybe then others will be drawn to Him and trust His grace.

I mean really—who wants to be found a sluggard? Not me that’s for sure.

What about you? Have you paused lately and applied your heart to the observations of your eyes lately? Do you value the need to renovate weak areas to be more like Him? Please share.   

By the grace of God and perpetual spiritual and emotional renovation, Tammy Van Gils writes and blogs about Hope for the Everblooming Life at Tammyvangils.com. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers Association and Word Word Weavers International. Visit her on Facebook  and Twitter.