Lion in the Streets!

I believe that God is calling each of us to a fruitful life, which flows from our remaining centered on the presence of Christ.  Jesus said in John 15:
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches ; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing .
6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Life is full of opportunities, and while we are not attempting to work our way into the kingdom or work for our salvation, I believe that the Bible teaches that the life devoted to Christ will be a productive life.   And, we have to guard against those influences or activities that would keep us from being all that He desires for us to be.  For example, there is a plethora of choices available to keep us entertained, and if we become so immersed in those that our view of the circumstances of life becomes distorted, we could retreat into a state of idleness, unable to break free and unmotivated to press in to Christ.   Paul encouraged that attitude of "pressing on"...and we have to guard against retreat in our Christian walk.

Proverbs 22:13 is one of those verses that can serve as a warning to us about giving in to idle live, held
captive by an unproductive state of mind:
13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!"

Proverbs 6 also presents a picture of someone referred to as a "sluggard" in the New American Standard, a lazy man in the New King James, and someone who is slothful in the King James Version.
6 Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,
7 Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler,
8 Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.
9 How long will you lie down, O sluggard ? When will you arise from your sleep?
10 "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest ,
11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.

It's been said that it's OK to have things, or possessions, but for things to have you is not good.   That presents a great dividing line for us.  And, I believe it applies to our entertainment choices - what we look to for amusement can ensnare us if we allow those things to divert our attention from the presence of and the work of God.  The word "amusement" is derived from an Old French word amuser, meaning "to stupefy, waste time, be lost in thought”).

And, I enjoy good entertainment.  Through technology, we have the ability to access more options, through our cable television or video streaming services, through our smartphones, and through the wide range of gaming systems and software on the market.  And, this week in Los Angeles, the E3 conference demonstrates for us the importance of the latest and the greatest to manufacturers and consumers.   Sony has unleashed - finally - its new PlayStation 4, while Microsoft has unveiled its Xbox One.   Home computing could take another step forward with its cylindrical Mac Pro.   And, the software manufactures lure gamers with cutting edge graphics and a social media component - so you can now play games and build virtual relationships through the click of a mouse or the pressing of a button on a game controller.

It's quite mind-boggling, and can be quite entertaining, if exercised in moderation.   But, if our amusement leads to the construction of a cocoon around our lives, then it ceases to be funny.   And, as we see from Proverbs 22 about the lazy man, a person can construct an alternative sense of reality - the Scriptures doesn't say there was a lion outside, only that the sluggard says there is.   And, I think that we can become so isolated sometimes that we distort what is going on outside our lives.    Fear of imaginary lions can keep us from getting out and reaching out.   

Contrast the picture in Proverbs 22 with the illustration of the ant, who is self-motivated, highly responsible, and diligent in its pursuits.   The ant is intent on being productive - and I believe the follower of Christ should be motivated to bear fruit for Him.   If we allow entertainment to restrict us to the sidelines, if we're immersed in activities that steal our motivation and cause us to be idle, then we miss what God has in store for us.   We have to stay sharp and focused on what God would intend for our lives.