Procrastination

Q: I was wondering if you could give me some verses in the Bible about procrastination.

A: The Proverbs are full of them, as is much of Ecclesiastes. A favorite of mine, especially as rendered in the Authorized (or King James) Version, is Proverbs 6:6-11: “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.”

In Matthew 8:21-22, Jesus reminds us that salvation is not a matter of “wait until I’m ready, Lord.” Likewise, the judgment passages in Matthew (see 24:45-51 and 25:1-13) remind us to always be ready and about our Father’s business. See also 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 and Hebrews 3:7-19 and 4:1-7.

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Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book What Do Lutherans Believe.