"A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing." (Prov. 20:4)

It's finals week. I've talked to many students lately who are preparing for final exams and projects as the end of the school year approaches. It's the most lucrative season for coffee companies. Stressed out, caffeined, and pulling an all-nighter is what I'm hearing lately. I remember those days. What I also remember was the most common reason for crunch time was procrastination.

I'm a natural procrastinator. I wait for the last minute. I put off till tomorrow what I don't want to do today. One of these days I should probably join a support group. :) The problem with procrastination is that it is a problem. Proverbs says that it will ultimately ruin you. Sounds like a serious problem to me!

Proverbs warns us that if we procrastinate we will be left with nothing to show for it. A farmer that plants his crops too late will ruin his chance at a bountiful crop. There is a timing that produces a harvest. If you wait too late to prepare, you will have nothing to show for it. Don't be surprised when you wait till the last minute and things fall apart.

What is it right now that you should be doing? What are your responsibilities? What did you commit to do or promise to do for someone recently? Where are you being a lazy farmer?

"The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth." Think about your favorite snack. Now, imagine just sticking your hand in it and being so lazy that you don't feel like enjoying your snack by actually putting it in your mouth. That is seriously lazy! The sad truth is that we don't struggle with being lazy in things we enjoy. If we like food, we eat it when we want, if we want new clothes we go buy them. If it's important to us we go get it. It's the things that don't fit in our self-focused agenda that we put off.

Is loving other people important to you? Is your relationship with God important to you? What is important to you right now?

Think of your relationship with God like the farmer analogy. If your relationship with God isn't important to you, it will get put off till tomorrow. Then when God wants to bring the harvest of blessing or opportunity it will pass you by.

You can't change the world from your couch.

It's not about what you think is good to do. It matters that you actually do what is good to do. Ephesians 2:10 explains that God created us to be world changers, to do good and bring good to this world. Good intentions don't feed the hungry. Good intentions don't heal the broken. Good intentions don't glorify God.

I struggle to accomplish what I know God has prepared for me. It's overwhelming at times and I feel like a failure. But, I'm passionate about getting better at one specific area and that is; Never procrastinate people. Make people the business of your life. Wake up asking God how you can plan your day around loving others. Never put off loving the people that God has put in your life! Whatever we build, accumulate, or earn in this world will perish, but where you invest in others through love will be made known in eternity. Go right now and love that person, you know the one. The one God has been telling you to love. Stop procrastinating.

By the way...... don't put off those projects or studying for your tests either!

- Josh