Proverbs 24:33
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Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
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How much do you sleep? More than you need? Surely a little extra sleep cannot hurt! But Solomon warned that a little sleep, a little dozing, and a little cuddling in bed can cost you! Too much sleep wastes precious time and causes drowsiness, which will surely steal success away and leave you in poverty, shame, and trouble (19:15; 23:21).
Upon seeing the overgrown field and vineyard of a foolish and slothful man, Solomon considered the man's assets and drew a conclusion - the man enjoyed sleeping too much, and laziness would certainly reduce him to poverty (6:6-11; 24:30-34). He learned a lesson by his great understanding, and he wrote this proverb to teach you that lesson.
Sleep is needed for success, survival, and your spirit! But too much steals time, dulls your drive, and creates drowsiness. If you need 7 hours, set your alarm for 7 hours! Do not set it for 8 hours! The extra hour will waste time, set a bad precedent, and make you sleepier.
Solomon wrote Proverbs for youth (1:4,8; 4:1). They often oversleep, especially in a lazy generation. When families operated farms, they had to get up early. But now every excuse is used for rising later and later. Solomon said, "Get up!" Great men will get up!
The danger is a little sleep. Those who oversleep much are obvious sluggards. Solomon worried about a little sleep. It is a little sleep every morning that builds bad habits and steals much time. He declared: "Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread" (20:13). Do not hit the snooze alarm! Get up!
Great men and women get up and get to work. In agreement with this proverb, it has been said, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." The virtuous woman rose early and stayed up late, not to be a martyr, but to be productive (31:15,18). Both men and women that get up early and work hard always sleep better (Eccl 5:12).
Attitude is more important than hours of sleep! A contented man that fears God, loves Jesus Christ, and is thankful for his job, gets up with excitement and zeal every day. He will not live any other way. He wants to get his hands on what he has to do (Eccl 9:10)!
A little spiritual slumber brings spiritual poverty. Just ask Peter, who could not watch one hour with Jesus in Gethsemane. If you do not make prayer and reading a priority each day, you will be spiritually bankrupt. Paul said, "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" (Eph 5:14-21; Rom 13:11-12; I Thess 5:6-10).
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