The Ways of a Sloth
Yes, it's true. In fact, they can actually hold their breath up to 45 minutes at a time.
Believe it or not, yes! Sloths can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes, while dolphins typically last around 10 to 15 minutes before surfacing for air. Sloths have an incredibly slow metabolism, which allows them to reduce their heart rate and conserve oxygen when submerged. Meanwhile, dolphins, as mammals, need to breathe frequently despite their aquatic lifestyle.
The reason these land-dwelling, super submersibles are so adept at breath holding is due to some unique physiological characteristics:
Their secret lies in their low metabolic rate and unique respiratory control:
Slow Metabolism: Sloths burn energy at an incredibly slow rate, which means their bodies require less oxygen than most mammals. This allows them to hold their breath much longer without experiencing distress.
Bradycardia (Reduced Heart Rate): When submerged, sloths can slow their heart rate by up to one-third, significantly reducing their oxygen demand. This trick is common in diving animals like seals but is unusual for a land-dwelling creature.
Efficient Oxygen Storage: Sloths have a high concentration of myoglobin in their muscles, which helps store oxygen for prolonged periods. This trait is typically seen in deep-diving marine mammals like whales and dolphins.
Minimal Movement: Their famously slow and deliberate movements mean they don’t burn oxygen rapidly, further extending their ability to function without fresh air.
All of these adaptations make sloths surprisingly well-equipped for survival—even underwater!
When it comes to their biology and physiology, sloths are some pretty amazing creatures. Yet these very characteristics — like their unusually slow metabolism and sluggish movements — have given them a pretty bad rap in Scripture.
"Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Romans 12:11, ESV).
"The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back" (Proverbs 21:25-26, ESV).
"But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?'" (Matthew 25:26, ESV).
"So that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Hebrews 6:12, ESV).
And a plethora of other references ...
The message is clear: The sloth may be perfectly acclimated for water survival, but he is utterly unequipped for spiritual survival. The ways of the sloth are not to be envied.
Having Done All, Stand!
Approximately 25% of the bones in your body are located in your feet; each foot contains 26 bones, making up about a quarter of the total bones in the human body. So important are the balance, posture, ambulation, and support qualities of the feet, that some have called these bi-pedal wonders the "starting infrastructure" of the rest of the body.
We are repeatedly exhorted in the Scriptures to "stand firm" in the faith.
Surely, the full Armour of God will both protect us against assualt, as well as equip us to take up the offensive against the schemes of the devil. But when was the last time you saw a great soldier lying down?
The full weight of all that armour can be daunting. As such, it's so important to have a firm and resolute foundation beneath us! That is why the Scriptures call us to, "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith," and to act like men, be strong" (1 Corinthians 16:13, ESV), so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes," and to "be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 610-15, NIV).
Protect your feet! — the foundation upon which all our faith is based! "For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11, NIV).
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (Ephesians 6:10-15, NIV).
"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong" (1 Corinthians 16:13, ESV).
"Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved (Philippians 4:1, ESV).
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11, ESV).
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1, ESV).
"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel" (Philippians 1:27, ESV).
"So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter" (2 Thessalonians 2:15, ESV).
"Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith" (2 Corinthians 1:24, ESV).
Fasting - It's All the Rage
In the health and wellness industry, fasting has become all the rage. Articles and videos on everthing from intermittent fasting for 8, 12, or even 24 hours per day, up to 40 day "cleasing" fasts, and everything in between fill the internet search engines.
Britannica defines fasting as:
[A]bstinence from food or drink or both for health, ritualistic, religious, or ethical purposes. The abstention may be complete or partial, lengthy, of short duration, or intermittent. Fasting has been promoted and practiced from antiquity worldwide by physicians, by the founders and followers of many religions, by culturally designated individuals (e.g., hunters or candidates for initiation rites), and by individuals or groups as an expression of protest against what they believe are violations of social, ethical, or political principles. [It] has been used therapeutically since at least the 5th century BCE, when Greek physician Hippocrates recommended abstinence from food or drink for patients who exhibited certain symptoms of illness.
Scientifically, fasting is defined as a period of partial or total restriction from all foods or selected foods. as part of a dieting regimen for weight loss or improved health.
The American Heart Association states that regular fasting is associated with lower rates of heart failure and improved metabolism, thus possibly making it the key to a long, healthy life. If done correctly, it can have many of the following health benefits: decreased resting heart rate, decreased blood pressure, better blood flow, lower levels of bad cholesterol, assistance with weight loss, decreased inflammation, improved blood sugar regulation, better responses to stress, slowing down of aging, prevention of diabetes, thyroid disorders, hypertension, and heart disease, and more!
Biblically speaking, fasting means the voluntary abstention from food for a prescribed period as a sign of devotion.
Clearly, from the list above, one could conclude that our bodies were created to naturally respond to periods of fasting and voluntarily deprivation.
So, too, are our spirits. Scripture is replete with examples and exhortations, to cite just a few:
Matthew 6:16-18 ESV
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.Joel 2:12 ESV
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;Daniel 10:3 ESV
I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.Ezra 8:23 ESV
So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.Isaiah 58:6 ESV
“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?Acts 13:2 ESV
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”Acts 14:23 ESV
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.Exodus 34:28 ESV
So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.Esther 4:16 ESV
“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”Luke 2:37 ESV
And then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.Psalm 35:13 ESV
But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest.Luke 4:2 ESV
For forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.
Fasting helps us get closer to the Lord, hear His voice, and discern His direction(s) for our lives by the removal of distractions and noise, as well as helping us focus on Him more than other parts of His Creation, including (but not exclusively) food.