Proverbs 10
1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.
3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
6 Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
(Scripture taken from the King James Version, 1987 printing. The KJV is public domain in the United States. To read this passage from The Message, go to www.biblegateway.com and do a passage lookup.)
This is the beginning of what we typically associate best with “The Proverbs” – these one-liners, so to speak that are attributed to King Solomon. They are great guides for daily living… rich in wisdom and good advice. Let’s look today at two verses in particular… verse 4 and verse 7. I live a little over two hours away from the Mississippi River and a collection of floating casinos near the towns of Tunica, Mississippi, and Helena, Arkansas. I know quite a few people from my community who visit these casinos often. For some, it’s “cheap entertainment” – if you can call losing a few hundred dollars for the chance to “win” a few in return “cheap.” But for others, this is a HUGE part of their lives. They are lured by the dream of “winning big!” And sometimes they do temporarily score several hundred to a few thousand dollars. But you know what they do? Most often, they stand right there at the slot machine or the blackjack table or whatever and gamble it all away. Of course, the casinos LOVE this, and they mail their best customers coupons for “free” rooms, meals and drinks. They send limos – or even private jets – to pick these folks up and whisk them away to the tables/slot machines. And over and over again, good, decent, hard-working people slave all week for a paycheck that they can carry to the casinos on the weekend and fork over to those establishments, all in the hopes of making a huge return on their “investment.” Some will even tap into other reserves via credit cards and ATM machines.
I know other people who gamble in a different way, by “playing” the stock market. Now, there is nothing wrong with the stock market and investing a little money. My husband and I have some conservative investments ourselves. But, there is a really cute commercial about a man who buys a piece of art at an auction and immediately stands up and tells the auctioneer that he wants to re-sell the art! And that’s how some people play the stock market. They are constantly buying and selling… hoping for that day when they make a bundle. Many of the folks who do this are risking financial ruin on any day that the market is down.
Still others are the ultimate at procrastination. You may fall into this category. You plan to study… but not today. You plan to clean your room… but maybe day after tomorrow or next week. You plan to visit your grandmother or a friend who is ill… someday soon! But tomorrow never seems to arrive. There is always a good excuse for not accomplishing your plans.
I know you have heard the saying, “Make hay while the sun shines.” That’s what this verse is telling us. There is no substitute for hard work… or smart work. Gambling your paycheck is not a smart investment. Hanging your hopes on winning the lottery or a big jackpot at the casino or “making a killing” in the stock market is not wise. There is no substitute for good old hard work! It may not get you what you want as fast as you want it, but in the long run, it will pay off in ways you can’t imagine.
One last thing… in verse 7, we are told that “the memory of the just is blessed.” In other words, those who are honest and fair… who do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay; those who do what they say they will do WHEN they say they will do it… will be blessed AND well respected. On the other hand, those who try to cut corners will be forgotten. You may not literally be considered “wicked,” but if you are lazy or try to get ahead dishonestly or at others’ expense, you may actually lose the respect of others, if not your shirt! So choose your path carefully. Invest wisely… your money, time, talents, and ambitions. There really IS no substitute for hard work… and the rewards will exceed anything you can imagine.
©2007 Debbie Robus
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