Proverbs 6:6-11

Proverbs 6:6-11 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: ⁷Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, ⁸Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. ⁹How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? ¹⁰Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: ¹¹So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man (KJV).

Reflection

Poverty can be caused by many factors. Many queer people are poor because of discrimination in the world of work. Their poverty has nothing to do with lack of motivation or lack of hard work. Gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, and trans-identified people need to understand this passage is not about people who have suffered financially because of discrimination. This passage is about people who are poor, because they lack personal initiative. That is the factor being discussed in this passage. People who are not motivated to work are not likely to be financially stable.

While hard work and initiative are not guaranteed to make a person wealthy, few people are able to become financially stable without having worked hard. Planning, hard work, and motivation can do a lot to help a person be financially successful. For queer people, one way to help ensure more financial security is to work hard to promote rights for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identification, or gender expression.