Introduction
Before getting into the meaning of Proverbs 15:19, here’s different Bible translations:
King James Version
The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
American Standard Version
The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns; But the path of the upright is made a highway.
World English Bible version
The way of the sluggard is like a thorn patch, but the path of the upright is a highway.
Proverbs 15:19 Meaning & Commentary
The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway. – Proverbs 15:19 (ESV)
This verse in Proverbs contrasts the difference between ‘the way of a sluggard’ and ‘the path of the upright.’ A sluggard is descriptive of someone who is lazy, lethargic, and either does not like to or does not do the right thing. An upright person describes someone who works hard, follows God’s word and principles, and lives a good, just, and honest lifestyle. This verse tells us that the sluggard’s way is like a hedge of thorns. Thorns are prickly and can hurt us.
Furthermore, a hedge of thorns suggests that it is hard to see or make out what is going on around us. Living a lazy and unproductive life makes life tough to navigate! We are all tempted to fall into laziness and unproductivity at times, but these are bad habits, and they bring hindrance, unfruitfulness, and ‘clog up’ every area of our life – just like a hedge of thorns! Furthermore, they can ‘clog up’ our workplaces and stop the flow of productivity.
You can have a team of 10 people in a business, but it just takes one lazy and unproductive person to hinder the progress and flow of work, leaving everyone else frustrated. However, the path of the upright is a level highway. This suggests that it is an easy and smooth road to travel on and makes life easy for others.
Picture the difference between traveling on a smooth and open road and trying to navigate through a hedge of thorns. There is a vast difference between the two. When we walk with God and apply the principles of The Kingdom of God in our lives, we place ourselves on the fast track to success. Also, those who come after us or alongside us have an easier pathway to success in life!
Application
How can we apply Proverbs 15:19 to our lives?
The Bible talks about diligence as a critical principle to success: Proverbs 21:5 – The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. A diligent person is the opposite of a sluggard. Diligence speaks of someone who knows what needs to be done and does it repeatedly until the fruit is seen. There is no such thing as an ‘overnight success.’ An overnight success story is someone who has been diligent, prepared themselves and then met with an opportunity that they were able to capitalize on!
Jesus talked a lot about faithfulness – something we should strive for daily. Faithfulness and diligence are like two brothers. They work hand-in-hand with one another, and someone faithful is by nature diligent as well. How do we build this sort of diligence into our lives? We do it little by little and day by day. Faithfulness and diligence are not flashy, which is why people do not talk about them often.
However, they are two of the most important ingredients for success. When we merge these principles with doing God’s word, continue to do it, and be faithful to it – we will have success! We will travel through life like a ‘level highway.’ We need to guard against all forms of laziness. If we entertain these things in life, we will block our progress.
The longer we stay in laziness and develop it as a habit, the harder it will be to break free! If you have ever got caught in a hedge of thorns, you will know that you cannot move forward and progress until you slow down, take stock of how and where you are stuck, and make a conscious choice to untangle yourself. However, once you do, you can move freely and carry on your journey or whatever you were doing.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I come to You now in Jesus’ name. Please forgive me, where I have allowed laziness and the attitude of a sluggard into my life. Help me to clear these mindsets and attitudes from my life.
I choose today to serve you diligently and faithfully. Please give me the strength to follow through and serve you all the days of my life. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen!