The Haves and Have Nots
Today’s Verse:
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. ~Proverbs 28:19
The United States is the land of opportunity. It is a country where anyone who is willing to work hard can achieve some measure of success. So, there are people who would be considered the haves: people who have enough or more than enough. Then, there are the have nots: those who struggle financially and do not have much in savings and material goods. In either group, there can be the distraction from those who pursue a get-rich-quick means to getting ahead. A get-rich-quick scheme is never a substitute or a consideration for work. Let us see an important Bible principle on the importance of diligence and work.
We see the advantage.
“He that tilleth his land.” First, we see a privilege. Land ownership was passed down from generation to generation. Each generation was to carefully steward the land for the next generation. We are commanded to be faithful stewards with what God has entrusted to us. Second, we see the priority. The land had to be tilled. This meant plowing, sowing, and reaping. The land had to be worked in order to produce. If a man did not work his land, he would not have enough food to sustain him during the tough winter months. Third, we see the pressure. The land had to be tilled and the harvest reaped before winter. Once winter came, you had to make the most of what you harvested. Tilling the land demanded utmost diligence from sunrise to sunset. It demanded great diligence and no fooling around.
We see the accumulation.
“He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread.” Diligent work produces results. First, there is bread. Work puts food on the table, pays the bills, and meets the minimum needs we have. “If any would not work, neither should he eat.” Second, there is the bounty. “He shall have plenty of bread.” This implies surplus. He will have more than enough to carry him through the next harvest. It also implies savings. The foundation that undergirds every financial plan is systematic and disciplined savings. “Plenty of bread” means he had bread to draw from if he had an emergency. “Plenty of bread” means he had bread to share with others. Third, there is the blessing. This man saw the blessing of God on diligence and hard work. When we are diligent, we fulfill the Bible promise, “The hand of the diligent maketh rich.”
We see the admonition.
“But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.” The Bible warns us against following people who are into get-rich-quick schemes. This includes getting involved in shady, unethical, and dishonest plans. It includes gambling and chasing lottery tickets. We are to avoid cutting corners, cheating others, or taking advantage of others. The fallout from following the wrong people results in financial setback, loss of employment, loss of credibility, and, in the most extreme situations, legal repercussions. Get-rich-quick schemes never result in the blessing of God. Stay away from the enticement of schemes that sound too good to be true or that promise extraordinary gains without much effort.
Be focused on tilling your land so you “have.” Don’t grow weary of hard work.
Have a diligent God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Samuel 13-15