Financial Slothfulness

Years ago, I got to hold an actual sloth. Now they’re cute, but it gave me a better understanding of the word slothfulness. It hardly moved!

Dorothy Sayers, a writer, and friend of C.S. Lewis described sloth as:

“…the sin which believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, loves nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and only remains alive because there is nothing it would die for.”

C.S. Lewis addressed slothfulness in his Screwtape Letters. A demon coaches his nephew on distracting a Christian from spiritual disciplines.

 Here’s what he wrote:

“Make him waste his time, do nothing for long periods of time, keep him up late at night. The goal is to steal away a man’s best years in the dreary flickering of the mind… and the gratification of curiosities so feeble, in a wasting of time with a cumulative effect…to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing.”

Does that sound familiar? Those willing to settle for mediocrity “get by” – doing less than their best.

Slothful employees don’t faithfully use the abilities God has given them. They get passed over for raises and promotions.

Slothfulness shows up in everyday living as well. We see it in those who fail to live on a budget, pay bills on time, or exercise self-control in their spending.

Stewards have eternity in their hearts. They serve the Lord with a desire to glorify Him in all that they do. So, are you slothful?

And if credit card debt is causing anxiety in your life, I highly recommend Christian Credit Counselors. They can create a debt management plan just for you. Call the Crown Helpline at 800-722-1976 or visit online at Crown.org/ccc.