Proverbs 6

Proverbs 6:9-11 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

When I first accepted Christ 10 years ago this was one of the first verses I actually memorized. I had a hard time waking up in the morning. This verse would come to mind and I would have motivation to rise. Who wants poverty? The reason I wanted to get up was to spend time with God. Time without Him creates a poor spirit. Time with Him is relationship, full of God's riches.

At other times this verse has meant working hard to provide for your family. A warning to not be lazy or idle.

And today: I was reading the whole chapter (Proverbs 6) and it came to me in a new light. I have mentioned a few times the phrase going gazelle. It's a Dave Ramsey term for getting serious about your money. It comes from verse 5. "Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of a hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler." You see, gazelle's when they are in danger, they take notice and they run.....FAST. They out run their predator. With stradegy they dart left and right. So when I say going gazelle it means we have a plan, to be intense about what we are doing with our money. (6:1-5) Pay off any debts or pledges we have made. (6:6-8) "Store up provisions" aka create a savings. (6:9-11) Do it now, don't wait, don't be lazy about it...or poverty will come.

God has used this verse in my life many times with different understandings. All bearing good fruit in my life. God's Word living and active???