Some people refer to Paul Railton of Consett, England, as the laziest man in the world. That would be difficult to prove, but his legal troubles certainly provide evidence that he is in the running for the title. In December of 2009, Railton was reported to the authorities by a cyclist who saw him “walking” his dog by driving his car slowly and holding the leash out the car window! Railton admitted that his unusual method of exercising his dog, “Was a silly thing to do and there was an element of laziness,” and pled guilty to a charge of “not being in proper control of a vehicle.” He was fined sixty-six pounds and ordered not to drive for six months.
As our society moves further and further away from valuing hard work, we are seeing a rise in laziness. This disease is undermining not just the foundations of our nation, but it is striking at the church as well. It is always easy to justify taking it easy. While there is a place for rest—following the pattern God established in the beginning of Creation by resting on the seventh day—few in our age are suffering from overwork. Instead too many continually “hit the snooze button” and waste their lives through laziness.