The Sayings of the Wise – Part 25

 

THIRTY SAYINGS OF THE WISE

SAYING NUMBER TWENTY-Four

The 24th saying of the wise is found in Proverbs 24:10 (ESV), "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small."  Our immediate reaction might be, "Duh!"  Of course!   Why is this a wise saying?  "A difficult time is literally a “time of restriction” (Hb tsarah). To be limited is literally to be “restricted” (Hb tsar). So to avoid losing strength, act." [1]

Stated otherwise I think we can all see the wisdom.  If you fail to do nothing, which the Hebrew verb רָפָה (rafah) can mean, you will weaken, not strengthen, Procrastination does not empower but in fact contributes to weakening.  "Although framed as an observation, this is actually an exhortation for the reader to show himself strong and courageous in times of adversity."[2]

I like to watch a sporting event called American Ninja Warriors.  The advanced obstacle course that these athletes traverse is quite phenomenal. Occasionally one is hanging on a bar prepared to propel themselves to the next obstacle.  The truth that we all know is that the longer they hang there, the weaker they will become.  Procrastination does that to us. 

Tim Challies has written on this in an article published by Christianity.com. He makes this observation:

"First, I had to see this: Procrastination is a problem of spirituality before it is a problem of productivity. I came to understand that God has put me on this earth to bring glory to him by doing good for others. If that is the case, then procrastination hinders my ability to carry out my purpose. It is downright evil."

We often look at procrastination as an issue of personal discipline but I think Challies is right in that we ought first to consider it a matter of sin.  It is in that we have hope.  It is in that we can apply the Gospel.  “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” (James 4:17, ESV) 

Should we need acknowledge, as Christians, that God is for us and is working for our good -- our sanctification.  Therefore when we read: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Peter 1:3–4, ESV), we indeed have an empowering, sin-defeating promise to propel us into obedience?

The sum and substance of our lives as Christians as we prepare for eternity is wrapped up in one word: perseverance.  We read the exhortation of the preacher in Hebrews 10:35–36 (ESV),

³⁵ Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 

So the Wise Man is right, the longer we delay in acting in what is right, the weaker we become. Our own strength is realized in all its weakness.  Obedience invites the strength and the power of God. Paul could testify:

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10, ESV) 

I honestly believe that if we Christians view procrastination as not a "productivity" problem, but a spiritual problem, we would enjoy the wonders of God's enabling grace and thus find great joy in living for Him.

 

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1. Stabnow, D. K. (2017). Proverbs. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 990). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

2. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1176). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles