The Consequences Of Laziness

On Valentines Day I set the table using two of my beautiful turquoise chargers. I loved the way it turned out (see the picture here) just as I did when I used them for Christmas a couple years ago. Since I don’t use the chargers very often, I store them on a top shelf in my kitchen cupboards. Putting them away requires pulling out the step stool, kneeling on the counter (I’m 4’10”), moving several serving platters, placing the chargers on the shelf and then putting everything back on top of them. I just couldn’t be bothered with all that work, so after Valentines dinner was over, I set the chargers on the bar counter and decided to put them away later.

The next day the chargers were in the way, so I put them on top of the washing machine. Later in the week I needed to let something dry in that spot so I crammed the chargers in between a couple boxes of cereal on the shelf above the washing machine…just to get them out of the way until I put them where they belong.

One morning I pulled out the box of Raisin Bran…and two chargers came crashing down on my head. I jumped to avoid them, and they landed on the floor. When I reached down to pick them up, this is what I discovered:

My laziness cost me one of my lovely chargers. It would have taken less time to put them away in the first place instead of moving them all over the kitchen.

Proverbs 18:9 says, “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.”

Laziness has consequences. 

• Laziness causes more work – either for me or for someone else that comes behind me.
• Laziness causes destruction.

What happened in my scenario wasn’t the end of the world. I can buy new chargers. But I hope you’ll join me in realizing the consequences of laziness and choosing instead to finish the job.