Laziness (Part 1)

This is the summary of the topical discussion on Laziness on 27 July 2008. It is divided into 4 parts: Definition of Laziness, Causes of Laziness, Consequences of Laziness, and Overcoming Laziness. The session was prepared in English, translated and conducted in Chinese, and the discussion notes are summarized in English (there is Chinese outline below as well).

FideQin Fellowship: 27 July 2008, 8:00-9:30 pm @ Glen Waverley

I. Definition of Laziness (Prov.10:26)

- Identify and describe a lazy and a diligent person

- Define laziness

- Explore aspects of laziness

Discussion Notes: Description, Aspects and Definition of Laziness

We have a general sense of what laziness means. If we see someone who just idle around and is not willing to work, we call this person lazy. If asked to describe a diligent person, we would say it is a person who does what he is supposed to do in all aspects of his responsibility, both at home and outside home. He is initiative and always tries his best.

This, however, is a narrow view with very limited breadth and depth. It focuses mainly on a person’s actions and what is outwardly visible. From Biblical principle, laziness does not consist merely in lack of physical actions. While phenomena are also an important aspect, they are only a part of it.

A better definition of laziness is failure to respond appropriately to God’s grace, which includes both saving grace and common grace.

Response to God’s saving grace includes our response to His revelation of eternal will, His guidance in history, and finally His personal guidance in our lives.

Response to God’s common grace includes our response to all the talents, opportunities and other common blessings He has given to us. Our response to God’s saving grace will greatly enable us to utilize God’s common grace in our lives.

To break down what “appropriate response” means, it includes not merely our physical actions, but our diligence in the entire process. Internally, it means consistent diligence in building up our understanding and purifying our motivations. Externally, it means consistent review of our methodology, as well as our executions (actions). To close the loop, we should constantly reflect upon our lives both internally and externally. This is total diligence – diligence in the complete sense.

Hence it is possible for a person to be extremely busy and appear diligent in one process to be completely failing on the other processes. It is possible for a person who has established his personal discipline to be unreceptive to change and lazy to review his methodology. It is possible for a person to be exhausting himself with a lot of work, to be lazy in examining his understanding and motivation.

Based on this more complete definition, everyone is lazy, but at different level, and on different aspects. This tells us how poor we are in the eyes of God and how much we need His mercy.

As a more concrete conclusion, we will define diligence as such:

- Appropriate response to God’s grace (both common and saving grace)
- Willingness to be open to new things, while keeping with principles, and accept challenges
- Courage to correct what is wrong when necessary and to stand up for the truth

A person who does this is a person who is truly living.

In the next session, we will discuss the rest of the outline on the cause and consequences of laziness, as well as overcoming laziness.

II. Causes of Laziness (Prov.24:30; 6:9-11)

- Motivation: What drives a person to be diligent
- Discipline: What influences a person’s self-discipline
- Status: What prevents a person from the fullness of life

- Root cause of laziness

III. Consequences of Laziness (Prov.10:4; 13:4; 19:15; 21:25; Eccl.10:19; Matt.25:26)
- Related to common grace
- Related to saving grace

Application: Overcoming Laziness (Prov.6:6; 12:24; Eccl.11:6 Heb.6:12)

- Internally: understanding & motivation
- Externally: methodology & discipline
- Continual reflection of both above

懒惰

1. 懒惰的定义 (Prov.10:26; 20:24)

· 鉴别，描述懒惰和勤快的人
· 懒惰所表现的方方面面
· 给懒惰下一个准确的定义

2. 造成懒惰的原因 (Prov.24:30; 6:9-11)

· 动机上，如何使一个人勤快
· 纪律上，人的自律受何影响
· 地位上，人的丰盛生命力受何限制
· 懒惰的根源

3. 懒惰所带来的后果 (Prov.10:4; 13:4; 19:15; 21:25; Eccl.10:19; Matt.25:26)

· 今生物质上所带来的后果
· 今生属灵生命上所带来的亏损
· 今生的懒惰对来生的影响

克服懒惰的一些应用 (Prov.6:6; 12:24; Eccl.11:6 Heb.6:12)

· 内部：有正确的理解和纯正的动机
· 外部：有正确的方法和必要的约束
· 经常回顾和反醒以上二 点