Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5760 Human attitudes and behaviour  »  5979 waste

The misuse and squandering of resources. God condemns the waste of resources which he provides, especially spiritual provisions such as grace and opportunity. Sometimes extravagance in God's service is mistaken for waste.

Waste of material resources

Squandering is folly

Luke 15:13-16 See also Proverbs 21:20; Proverbs 29:3; Luke 16:1; James 5:1-6; 1 Peter 4:3-5

As a consequence of yielding to temptation

Proverbs 29:3 See also Proverbs 5:7-14

Jesus Christ avoids waste

John 6:12-13

Spiritual resources should not be wasted

God's grace

Jonah 2:8 See also John 12:35-36; 2 Corinthians 6:1; Galatians 4:9-11; Hebrews 10:26-29,35; 2 Peter 2:21

God-given abilities

Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27

Opportunities for service

Ephesians 5:16 See also John 9:4; Galatians 6:10; Colossians 4:5

Spiritual teaching

Matthew 7:6 Spiritual teaching is wasted if inappropriate to the spiritual capacity of the hearers. See also Proverbs 9:7; Proverbs 23:9; 1 Corinthians 2:14

Examples of wasted lives

Esau

Esau lived for the pleasures of the moment and threw away his spiritual inheritance:

Genesis 25:29-34; Hebrews 12:16

Samson

Judges 16:18-21 Though Samson did retrieve something at the end of his life, his spiritual gift of supernatural strength was largely wasted through his indulgence in sexual immorality.

King Saul

1 Samuel 16:21; 2 Samuel 1:17-27 Through natural strength and spiritual gifts Saul had the prospect of establishing a successful royal dynasty. The future was lost through disobedience and the end of his reign was wasted through jealousy.

Judas Iscariot

Matthew 27:3-5 Judas had the best of opportunities--three years with Jesus Christ. This was thrown away in a moment of personal ambition.

Devotion to God is not waste

Matthew 26:6-13 pp Mark 14:3-9 See also John 12:1-8

Waste as the destruction of life and land

The frailty of human beings

Job 13:28 See also Job 33:21; Psalm 32:3; Lamentations 4:9; 2 Corinthians 4:16

Waste as a result of the judgment of God

Jeremiah 34:22 See also Leviticus 26:31-33,39; Numbers 5:21; Deuteronomy 28:22; Deuteronomy 29:23; Deuteronomy 32:24; Psalm 106:43; Isaiah 24:1,3; Ezekiel 4:17; Hosea 5:9

See also

5046  opportunities
5398  loss
5531  skill
5856  extravagance
5907  miserliness
5967  thrift
6142  decay
6248  temptation
6666  grace
8438  giving time
8808  riches
8821  self-indulgence