Probing
Proverbs 12:23 Work hard and become a leader; be lazy
and become a slave.
The principle communicated in this Proverb is something every
person needs to memorize into his or her psyche! Even when it comes to one of
the most difficult issues, “riches” this principle proves more times to be
true than not.
Psalm 62:10 … And if your wealth increases, don’t
make it the center of your life.
Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will
fall
Proverbs 27:24 for riches don’t last forever, and
the crown might not be passed to the next generation.
1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this
present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of
riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
BUT, please remember, money is not the problem – our
heart attitude is:
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of
all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith
and pierced themselves with many griefs.
So what’s my point? Glad you asked! :) Even when we take a
difficult item like money the principle from this Proverb proves itself valid
in most cases. History has shown us that so many of the rich end up destroying
themselves. Even Solomon almost committed spiritual suicide.
However, if we
look at all the statistics of people that have become rich we will see how this
Proverb rings true. Think about how many individuals that received their riches
based on nothing they did; they won a lotto, or it was inherited, how many of
those folks have become slaves to their money and in the end it destroyed them.
Almost every lotto winner blows all they have quickly and is worse off in the
end. So many that have inherited their wealth are destroyed by it. How many
lives have been wasted or left in ruin because of a “get rich quick”
mentality?
However, if we
look at all the statistics of people that have become rich we will see how this
Proverb rings true. Think about how many individuals that received their riches
based on nothing they did; they won a lotto, or it was inherited, how many of
those folks have become slaves to their money and in the end it destroyed them.
Almost every lotto winner blows all they have quickly and is worse off in the
end. So many that have inherited their wealth are destroyed by it. How many
lives have been wasted or left in ruin because of a “get rich quick”
mentality?
When we look at the individuals that worked hard to establish a
financial empire, it is true there will be many that implode, however, of all
the rich, the percentage that understood wealth, how to use it, what it really
was for and how to treat it as their slave instead of the reverse, the number
is overwhelming that these are those that worked hard.
If this principle is true with something as volatile as money; it
will be far truer when it comes to other areas of life. Whatever the field or
goal, if you work hard, you can be the master of it. If you are lazy and desire
it to be handed to you, you will become the slave of “wanting to have,” yet
never attaining! Michael Jordan was given natural height and talent by God, but
if he had been lazy we would not know him and he might be sitting on a couch
watching basketball wishing he was out there. Instead he worked hard and that
was honored by God. This is true in all aspects of life.
I have realized that in every area of my life, the harder I
work at what I believe the Lord is calling me to do, the more He honors it. I
have discovered, with some regret, that I missed some opportunities with
certain talents because I was lazy. Even now, after almost 40 years of
marriage, I realize if I had worked harder to be a great husband I could have
brought my wife greater joy. 
The so what? When
was the last time you evaluated your life? (Not Judged) On your list of what
you desire to accomplish, what work must take place for you to see that goal
met. Do you spend more time thinking of the past or planning the future? Are
you stretching yourself to learn new things on a consistent basis?
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