Proverbs constantly compares different attributes of human nature. There are good and bad qualities in each one of us. One if these qualities is laziness.
"The way of the sluggard is overgrown with thorns [it pricks, lacerates and entangles him], but the way of the righteous is plain and raised like a highway." Proverbs 15:19, Amplified
When laziness consumes a man, his desire is to do absolutely nothing. The New King James explains this verse like this, "The way of a lazy man is a hedge of thorns..." I can usually appreciate the Amplified Version of a verse, but today I think it is being over analyzed. I feel that this verse is trying to portray that the lazy man will not even try to go about his way for risk of working too hard, never mind being lacerated, entangled or pricked. What I feel needs to be analyzed here is the hedge. Solomon did not state that the way of the lazy man is over grown, but he had a hedge (in the New King James Version). A hedge is a purposeful boundary that is kept up and cared for. It is true that in either version of the verse, truth can be found. Ironically, the lazy man will take more effort to keep from doing anything than actually doing something. It is also true that the lazy man does not take care of his way so that it does become overgrown (Amplified).
But the way of the righteous is a raised path, a highway with no obstruction. The righteous desires not to be impeded in is progress. It is true that a righteous man does fall, but he has the ability to get back up again and go about his way for he has nothing to keep him from doing so.
If you have fallen, get up and dust yourself off or risk the chance of your way becoming overgrown or even becoming so discouraged that you create that hedge between you and the Lord.
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