Good morning. The sin that I am suggesting is misunderstood is one of those poetically described as being among the “seven deadly sins”. The sin in question is sloth. When the word is mentioned do you immediately envision someone who is taking a nap when they should be working? We have, of course, an animal that bears the name. It is famous for looking and moving like it is nearly asleep. Is that critter what comes to mind when you hear the word?
That is fine, but it is not actually the true intention of the word in the ancient English language from which it is drawn.
Rather, sloth was considered to be a despairing indifference to truth. Someone who believes in nothing and lives for nothing, and therefore might as well be asleep. Sloth is the ultimate sin of omission, for sloth sits still, unmoved by realities. Sleeping through a movie may not be deadly but sitting on your hands while the cinema is burning around you certainly is. We must guard against sloth, the temptation to be lulled to sleep when there is something urgent to be done.
Is there a cure for this spiritual narcolepsy? I have read that “The Christian life is all about wakefulness”. To live in the common state of only being half awake, half aware, half inspired, half motivated, and half engaged is what was deemed by C.S. Lewis as the “shadowlands.” That is the place where quiet indifference prevents righteous life and action. It is the place where good people talk about fulfilling the great commission of Christ, but never quite get around to doing much about it.
Now that I have mentioned him, in C.S. Lewis’ books written for children (but perhaps better enjoyed as adults) The Chronicles of Narnia, Lewis frequently addresses this issue of wakefulness and makes it clear that it is the desire of the enemy to lull God’s faithful into a state of sloth. In the book The Silver Chair the Queen of Underland is holding Jill, Eustace, and Puddleglum captive in her subterranean lair. The Queen tries to convince them that there is no world outside her cavern. She creates an atmosphere thick with a drowsy smell, with soft music, with all things quiet and pleasant and sleepy — and then, like the serpent in the garden, she lies through her teeth, “There is no land called Narnia.” Puddleglum protests that he has come from “up there,” and the witch makes the idea seem ridiculous: “Is there a country up among the stones and mortars of the roof?” Jill begins to succumb to the spell, saying, “No, I suppose that other world must be all a dream.” “Yes,” says the witch, “There never was any world but mine”. When all seems lost Jill remembers Aslan, the lion who represents Christ in these stories, and finds the strength to persevere.
We live within circumstances that are perhaps not altogether quiet, pleasant, and sleepy, but somehow the song of the enemy continues to be effective. The song lulls God’s people into a state of being only half awake. It is that state which the ancient English tongue called sloth. That place where we are awake enough to know, but not enough to do. It is that sleepy place of indecision and inaction where the enemy works in darkness, assuring the faithful that we can tolerate his evil, it really isn’t worth getting stirred up about it.
In Ephesians 5:11-17 we read God’s view and command: Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
In our discussion for today I would take special note of that sentence, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
God needs His people to be willing to be awake. There is a righteous need for rest, but how can we excuse for sloth?
God bless your wakeful willing spirit today!
Vern