.6:1-19.

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Rashness, laziness and troublemaking (Prov 6:1-19)

A person can easily get into serious difficulties by agreeing to be a financial guarantor for a friend (or a stranger), as the friend may get so far into debt that the guarantor is ruined. If the guarantor realizes that he made a rash promise, he should act quickly. He should not rest till he has gone back to his friend, told him of his true position, and withdrawn his guarantee.

Only in this way will he save himself from possible disaster (Prov 6:1-5).

Though believers should not be anxious about the future, neither should they be thoughtless or lazy.

They should learn a lesson from the ant. It works diligently to provide for its future security (Prov 6:6-8).

People have only themselves to blame if they are too lazy to get up and work and as a result fall into poverty (Prov 6:9-11).

Another kind of person heading for disaster is the troublemaker. People of this kind are skilled at making subtle suggestions by their movements and words, and soon create conflict (Prov 6:12-15).

All forms of deceit and plotting are as hateful to God as the more obvious sins of haughtiness and violence. Eyes, tongue, mind, hands and feet can all lead a person into sin (Prov 6:16-19).