Proverbs 24:30-31
I went by the field of a lazy man and by the vineyard of a fool; his field was all grown over …, and the stone wall of the vineyard that I observed was broken down.
If there is one thing in this world that irks me more than any other, it is a person who refuses to attend to his family, his business, or even his own life. They care not that whatever work is left undone by one is made double work to another! For some reason they have become spoiled and accustomed to someone else carrying their particular load of responsibility, and have been deceived into thinking that this will always continue.
There are two separate references in this particular proverb that I think are important. The first is to the field of the lazy. It says that his field is all “grown over”; possibly indicating that the field might have been planted at some point in time, but for whatever reason now has been left unattended. I personally love to garden. However, gardening is a daily chore. Sometimes there is nothing to do other than go out and simply examine the plants. Other times, there are weeds to pull, or a need to water. No matter what the case, gardens do not tend to themselves. They do not water themselves, or feed themselves. It is the same with all things in life. We must daily observe the well being of all our business and tend to it, especially when anything unhealthy invades its life. Otherwise, it is just left as this field, unattended and grown over with all types of thorns and activity that destroys life instead of facilitating it.
Secondly, he speaks concerning the vineyard of the fool whose stone wall is broken down. This makes me believe that this vineyard was not built by this man but simply inherited. For no builder of such great things would simply leave them to spoil in disrepair. These walls stood as sources of protection and boundaries of ownership, and usually were completed only after many years of arduous work. Amazing! What can take a lifetime to build and preserve, can be broken in a matter of days. It is important to note that a whole wall doesn’t have to be destroyed to render it ineffective, only one small breach left unrepaired.
Let us do two things. Let us always be busy about tending to the garden of life we have been so graciously given by God. Secondly, let us take time to walk around and observe the walls of our lives to make sure that nothing has been broken down or breached in any way. If so, stop and take time to repair it.
Blessings,
Pastor LaVaughn
