Proverbs 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
This passage of scripture states a fact that we would do well to trace from cause to effect, because the great waster here referred to has some other character flaws which lead to the problem of waste. The tendency to squander material or financial resources does not occur in a vacuum, but is rather the result of a general disposition to be careless, and this characteristic will weave itself into the fabric of our entire lives, and it will affect everything that we do, if it is not confronted for what it is, and ultimately uprooted from our hearts. As Christians it is our sacred duty to sit at the feet of Jesus and to study His character intently, so that we may see and observe what He does and how He does it, so that we too may be able to duplicate in our own lives, that which we have seen and heard of Him.
In dealing with the problem of wasting resources, all we need to do is to take a good look at how God has set up His creation on this planet, and even though great changes to the earth and to the environment has taken place, yet the principle of gathering up the fragments is still to be seen in everything that God does and continues to do. Thus we may learn very precious lessons of life in our own experiences. God does not waste anything, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, for everything that exists can be used for some good, in some area of our planet. For instance, He has made us in such a way so that whatever good food we eat is digested and used for the building up of the body, but that which is not used is excreted in various ways.
But even our excretions are not to be wasted, for He has ordained that certain scavenger animals should eat that which is refuse to us. These scavengers then thrive on what we cannot use in our bodies, for their digestive systems are specifically designed to handle and process waste products, hence the reason why He has stated unequivocally that certain animals should never be consumed by the human family under any circumstances, for the ingestion of them will cause great harm to us. But even these scavengers die after a while, and so the question is what becomes of them, and how can their dead carcasses be used for the good of anything on the planet. Here comes the worm, which comes as a result of the deceased animals, which then turns into flies, which then die themselves, and then return to dust.
This "Dust" is then broken down by micro organisms in the ground, and after a while they are themselves assimilated back into the earth as manure to the soil that we plant once again, to start the food chain all over again. In certain Caribbean countries there is what is known as a latrine or "Out-house", where people are relieved of all unwanted by-products of the digestive processes. It is a well documented fact that fruit trees planted near such out-houses do exceedingly well, for they are nourished by what is waste and refuse to us. This is one of the reasons why after man sinned God said "Dust thou art and to dust thou shall return", for that singular statement completes the entire food chain for man and beast, through the system of death, decay, and renewal. Let's read:
Psalm 104:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great" ... 13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. 14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; 20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. 21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. 27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
In our lives and in our homes there is very much waste to be seen, and often as a result of a lack of proper management, we ourselves and others are deprived of the blessings of life on account of the wanton waste that is practiced, especially here in America. Just take a look at our closets, for there we can find many dresses and numerous shoes and suits which we never wear, yet we are often heard complaining that we have nothing to wear. Then again there is our refrigerator with much food and leftovers hiding in different compartments, only to spoil and be thrown away with the passage of time. Then there is the food industry that discards food by the billions of tons every year, food that can with wise management feed millions of starving people at home and abroad. Then there is the issue of time that is wasted in front of the one-eyed monster, looking at shows and movies that have nothing to do with out spiritual or even temporal advancement.
These are just some of the many reasons why the wise man made that terse statement, that he that is slothful in his work is brother to a great waster. "Slothfulness" often comes in different varieties and manifestations, ranging from laziness and indolence, to carelessness and a lack of conservation. All of these are to some degree or another, contributors to the sin of waste. Hence the reason why Christ said to His disciples, gather up the fragments that nothing be lost, the principle being that everything that can be used should be used, so that there may not be any unnecessary draw on resources or funds, where it can be avoided.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to receive instruction at the hand of God, for His government is founded upon eternal principles, which when adopted and implemented are always productive of much good. Let's read:
Proverbs 13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!