Excuses, Excuses
Yesterday at supper we were reading Proverbs 22. If you read my post on Facebook last night, you would know that Gracie learned a little something about obeying parents. Caleb picked up on another verse:
The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!” or, “I will be murdered in the streets!”
We had a quite interesting talk about being lazy and not wanting to work. The excuse this sluggard uses is that there is a lion outside. That is pretty funny. And pretty dumb. We all had a good chuckle about it really. And it must have stuck with Caleb because when I asked him to get ready for bed later, he said he couldn't because there was a lion upstairs! Then he said, "Well, really I'm just being a sluggard!"
I thought about the lame excuses people offered in response to the King's request to come to his feast in the parable in Luke.
1. "I just got married." Ok so bring her along!
2. "I just bought a field and I must go see it" What? You bought a field without seeing it first?
3."I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out." Again, you didn't try them out before buying them?
Hard to believe really that they would turn down such a banquet from the king. But what blessings do we regularly forfeit because of our excuses? We say we don't have time to read our Bibles, we can't go to a church meeting, we just can't talk to someone about the Lord, we can't possibly give even 10% of "our" money for the Lord's use. Really?
Perhaps it's time we all re-examine these areas and others . I think to the Lord that we often sound as pathetic as the sluggard saying there's a lion in the street. We fool ourselves or justify things by convincing ourselves and others that our "reasons" are noble. I'm not personally pointing any fingers at all. I'm just suggesting we all take some time to examine our motivations – and that includes my own self-examination. After all, the Lord Jesus DIED for us and paid the price for our sins. Good thing He didn't offer any excuses!
And now, a flashback to my childhood and a really fun song!
2 Responses 
Leave a Reply 
I was just singing this to my kids last week! Too funny
So funny Sher. I just saw the title of your post and thought of that song before I read it. Wether young or small we can be full of excuses. There will be no excuse when we stand before God one day, but that should not be a threat but we should be motivated by the great love of Christ at the cross. Thanks for the thoughts.