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Mom’s Briar Patch

19 

A lazy person’s way is blocked with briers,
     but the path of the upright is an open highway.

20 

Sensible children bring joy to their father;
     foolish children despise their mother.

Verse 19

A slow man can be very slow. He has lots of excuses. Solomon uses humor here. Nobody could be so slow that plants grew on his path. The truth is that the man was very lazy.

The good man is like someone who travels along a good, clear road. A good person is patient (verse 18). But, at the right time, a good person acts very quickly. He is not lazy! He will achieve the things that he desires.

Verse 20

This is like Proverbs 10:1, but the second line is different. ‘A foolish son causes pain to his mother.’ (Proverbs 10:1). ‘A foolish son hates his mother.’ (Proverbs 15:20)

The foolish (or evil) son might not think that he hates his mother. However, his evil actions prove that he hates her. He causes trouble and pain for her, because he does evil things.

Why is the way of the lazy person like a thorny patch?

I think I have an idea. When I was young, I used to walk everywhere barefoot. Walking through the woods, the thing that would slow me down the most was a patch of briars. With briars, you have to move very carefully. You inch your feet along to avoid the briars on the ground and move even slower to avoid getting snagged by the ones higher up. Thorns slow you down.

Similarly, laziness slows you down. The upright are not slowed by fear of being caught by lies or by simply being lazy.

Verse 30 is not about gender. Wise children honor their parents, while foolish children disappoint and dishonor them.

Let me ask you: In your life, which is harder for you—honoring your parents or avoiding procrastination?

Struggle to Standing. Available on Amazon.  https://a.co/d/ev3YUqw

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