And finally....sloth!!!

Today will be the last of the "Seven Deadly Sins".
We're ending with sloth....or laziness.

Here is the definition of "sloth":
1. Disinclination to action or labor; sluggishness;
laziness; idleness
2. Spiritual apathy and inactivity

The second of the two definitions was what really got my attention. I had always thought of being slothful as just being plain old lazy, and hadn't thought about it as being spiritually lazy. What comes to my mind is the sin of "omission". Know what I mean? It's knowing things that we should be doing, but not doing them.

Remember what Paul had to say about that?

Romans 7:18-19 (NLT)
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t.
I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.

So many times, I am so guilty of not doing what I feel God leading me to do....pick up the phone and call somebody....send a card....stop and talk to somebody at church....just be a listening ear to somebody in need....many times I just pass it off that "oh, I'll do it later", then I forget...I'm spiritually lazy!! How often do we forget to pray for somebody who has requested prayer? Do we drive by somebody's house and wonder how they're doing, but not take the time to give them a call and check up on them? There are so many things that we can do, even on a daily basis, to show God's love...hold the door open for somebody going into the store...be kind to the cashier...see somebody in need and offer a helping hand...if it's raining, offer to share your umbrella with somebody who doesn't have one...if you see somebody getting into their car and they are struggling, especially an elderly person, or a young mother trying to juggle a buggy and her children...speak and be kind and offer them help....offer to get something down off of a top shelf for somebody who can't reach it....let someone with only a few items go ahead of you in line. I could go on and on with just little things that really mean a lot. You will be amazed at how far just a small amount of kindness will go. I know in this day and age that we are all hesitant to go out of our way to help...but remember what the Good Samaritan did to help his fellow man!!!
For a refresher on the story, click here.

When I decided...okay re-wind...when the Lord decided that this blog would be about spiritual laziness....He led me to this verse of scripture...that speaks exactly (of course it does, it's God-inspired)....that says exactly what I was trying to say above:

Romans 12:9-11 (NLT)Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

What better way to "serve the Lord enthusiastically"
than to serve Him by serving others.

I'll leave you with the following quote that I found by Eleanor Roosevelt that pretty much sums up the deadly sins:

"So much attention is paid to the aggressive sins, such as violence and cruelty and greed, with all their tragic effects, that too little attention is paid to the passive sins, such as apathy and laziness, which in the long run can have a more devastating effect."

And...since I'm talking about loving each other...and praying for one another...I have a very special prayer request for
Ms. Beatrice. She will be having a test today to determine something very serious. Please pray that God will touch her...will touch the place being tested...that she will feel little, or no pain, and that the results will be negative. Please also pray for the one doing the test...and for her husband and daughter! She is a very special lady and we love her!!!

In His Love...and with mine!!!