A delicate balance..Idleness or Too Busy?

“She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27, KJV.
My life has gotten too busy. It is at a point where I have had to stop and reevaluate what is really important and what is not.
However, I was looking to the bible to see where this balance is. One of the reasons we have kept ourselves busy is to prevent idleness. That old saying, which while I know it is not in the bible, is so true….”Idleness is the devil’s workshop.”
Our lives though must have rest periods. I see in some people that never take rest periods, they miss out on many worthwhile things. Birthday celebrations with family, baby’s first steps, the look on a mom’s face when she realizes her baby just called her “Mama” and many other things that you have to take down time to see.

However, in this society, we have gone over to a place where there seems to be no in between. There are the people who do everything, piano, basketball, soccer, swimming, volunteering and the people who do nothing. We have a society made up of many more lazy people than productive citizens though lately and I am curious as to why that is?

I was looking in the bible for the things that are important that we do and I found this.
“Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.” Job 22:7, KJV.

“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” Matthew 25:42-45, KJV.

“But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” 1 John 3:17, KJV.

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:14-18, KJV.

So, what can I do with this?

I find that too much activity means more stress, which is turn causes depression, health issues and the such like. But I also find that when I sit and do not fill my life with worthwhile things, that fulfill the things those verses above are talking about, reaching out to others, being hospitable, and keeping my home up, I get depressed as well, discouraged even without a sense of purpose.

We all know how fast a house can get messy, right? When we are at home all the time, looking at the same walls, the same messes we just cleaned the day before can get overwhelming. But inviting a friend to come over for tea once a week, sometimes can give us a chance to clean for a purpose, we may even sing while we do our daily chores. We can maybe do some extra baking or something to share with someone. The encouragement I get from going to a friends for a simple cup of tea or sharing one with someone at home, can be amazing. I think sometimes we get wrapped up in the illusion that if we stay home at all times, we can be more holy, where as I do not see that. I see that there needs to be a balance, but also be watchful for business to steal your joy.