(箴言 20:4)
“懶惰人因冬寒不肯耕種．到收割的時候，他必討飯，而無所得。”
這裡提到一個懶惰人，因為天氣冷就不去耕種。經文中的冬寒，原意其實是指秋天至冬天這個時機，那是當時播種耕種的最佳季節。所以，這段經文並不是說因為天氣太冷所以不工作，而是指因為懶惰而錯失了時機。當機會來到卻不願意把握，懶惰的結果就是到了收割的時候，即使去討飯也一無所得，甚至去行乞也沒有人會給他。
整節經文是要告訴我們，機會不是常常有的。而這個機會，正如經文所說的時令，是神所賜的。神去安排這個時節，要我們在最適合的時候去撒種。正如在我們的生命裡面，神安排了許多不同的機會給我們，我們要好好去把握，不能總是想著遲些再說而一直拖延。如果錯過了，後果只能由我們自己去承擔。神也讓我們明白，我們種的是什麼，收的也是什麼。當我們覺得自己好像沒有機會，或者覺得事情怎麼都這麼難處理時，我們要反思一下，其實有可能是我們自己錯失了許多機會。我們不要怨天尤人，很多時候，結果都是我們自己造成的。所以，從今天開始，我們要好好看清楚，睜開眼睛，張開雙耳，醒覺地留意神給我們的機會，並好好把握。這樣，我們就必會有收成了。
(Proverbs 20:4)”The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.”
Here, a lazy person is mentioned, who refuses to farm simply because the weather is cold. The original meaning of the cold in the scripture actually refers to the opportune window from autumn to winter, which was the prime season for sowing and cultivation at that time. Therefore, this scripture does not mean that one should stop working because it is too cold, but rather points out a missed opportunity due to laziness. When an opportunity arrives but one is unwilling to seize it, the consequence of laziness is that when harvest time comes, he will have absolutely nothing, even if he resorts to begging, and no one will give him anything.
The entire verse is meant to tell us that opportunities do not come often. And this opportunity, just like the season mentioned in the scripture, is a gift from God. God arranges this season so that we may sow at the most appropriate time. Just as in our lives, God has arranged many different opportunities for us, and we must seize them well, instead of constantly putting things off with the mindset of doing them later. If we miss them, we must bear the consequences ourselves. God also lets us understand that we reap what we sow. When we feel as though we have no opportunities, or wonder why things are so difficult to handle, we need to reflect on whether we might have missed many opportunities ourselves. We should not blame others or circumstances; in many cases, the outcomes are of our own making. Therefore, starting from today, we must see clearly, open our eyes, open our ears, and alertly pay attention to the opportunities God provides us, and lay hold of them firmly. In doing so, we will surely reap a harvest.
