The next few devotions, paint a sad scene, yet it is a scene that we need to be reminded of again and again. Solomon speaks of walking by a vineyard, a place that should have been producing fruit, and yet under the care of a lazy fool, it was a barren wasteland. The walls were broken down, and the vineyard was overtaken with thorns and weeds. By the time Solomon observed this field, the life had been sucked out of it, and in order to restore what once existed, much work would need to be done. What Solomon observed was the result of an individual neglecting the stewardship he had been given. The major point of today’s devotion is that fools neglect what has been placed under the realm of their responsibility. This is the case so many times in our family and spiritual responsibilities. How easy it is, especially for men, to neglect the responsibilities of leading our families. We can become distracted with work and other pursuits, and convince ourselves that despite our slothful approach, everything will work out. The same goes for our spiritual life. It is so easy to convince ourselves that we can neglect the spiritual disciplines that lead to growth and maturity, and still be ok. In both cases, the results of slothfulness is true; passerby’s see a family or a Christian, that should have been fruitful, yet due to neglect, the life has been suck out, and the only thing left is thorns and weeds. What a sobering picture. May we look to Christ for the strength and wisdom to avoid such a tragic life.