Christian Philosophy: How Christ Fulfills Proverbs 10:5

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Proverbs 10:5 says: He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame." (KJV). This proverb, obviously, is our next one in this blog's Proverbs series, and our goal here, as in the previous posts, is to see Christ in this proverb. And, like we also have been doing, we'll see how this proverb secondarily pictures the Christian, who, by definition, is one becoming conformed to the image of Christ (Roman's 8:28-29).

At first glance, this proverb may seem to be simply saying what the previous proverb in our series said: work hard, and you'll be blessed; be lazy, and you'll suffer. However, when we think harder on what this proverb specifically says, it becomes clear that, while its theme is definitely the goodness of hard work and the evil of laziness, like Proverbs 10:4, it's revealing some new aspects of the two attitudes, which means it has a new message to tell us, and therefore a new portrait of Christ to display to us. The first clause says that the son who gathers in summer is wise. In other words, the son who works at the right time is wise. The second clause, expanding on the first, says the son who sleeps in harvest cause shame. In other words, the son who doesn't work at the opportune time causes shame.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Father (John 5:17-18). And He worked while it was day (i.e., when He was able to work-John 9:4), And He did so before night, day's opposite, arrived. To sum it up, Christ worked when it was the right time and did not give way to slothfulness, which would not only cause shame to His Father (like the proverb's second clause says) but also would hasten night's coming, which would make future work vain. Truly, Christ is the Son who, gathering in summer, is wise. And sin (i.e., christlessness-see Matthew 7:21-27 and 1 John 3:4 [1]) is the son who, sleeping in harvest, is foolish and causes shame.

The Christian (that is, when he is trusting and following Christ according to his now natural disposition, given to him by the Holy Spirit [2]) is one who acts wisely, doing work at the opportune time and thereby bringing glory to both God the Father and Christ. The unrepentant sinner (i.e., the sinner who has not turned away from all else to embrace Christ, and Christ only) is a son of Satan (John 8:44) and does not work at the right time. [3]

Which one are you, reader?

[1] I'm indebted to this Christ-centered definition of sin from Charles Leiter's book "The Law of Christ" (The Law of Christ - Charles Leiter | Download Book PDF | I'll Be Honest (illbehonest.com)).

[2] Also Leiter.

[3] Like the note in last week's post, this must be emphasized: this is NOT to say only Christians are wise workers and only unbelievers are foolish workers. Nor is it saying that, just because he induces some of his children (emphasis on "some") to laziness, Satan himself is slothful, for he is diligent in deceiving the whole world. Rather, it means that doing what Christ says results in this wise work, while not doing what Christ says will result in this laziness.