Tag: proverbs 14:23

When is the Best Time to Write? – Proverbs 14:23

It’s like asking a painter when he should choose the colors for his palette, or a chef when she should start working on a menu plan. When is the best time to start?

A better question might be, How can I predict when my super genius will show up – so minimal effort will give birth to amazing creations?

girl w watch. free.PublicDomainPictures. pixabay

Now is a good time

I parked under the Jerry’s Home Improvement sign last week, waiting for a man to show up with the car we were interested in buying. The window of opportunity for getting it to our mechanic was narrowing by the minute, but there I sat, tapping my finger on the steering wheel.

I was also concerned about my husband’s arrival. He felt the pressure of the ticking clock, as well. And I was uneasy about meeting a stranger alone.

A perfect opportunity, nearly

Instead of fussing about the inconvenience of it all, I chose to work on something I had more control over. I pulled my notebook out of my purse and found a blank page. It wasn’t easy corralling my thoughts at first, but I was determined to put some words on paper that might eventually morph into a blog post or a devotional for my publisher.

I found the unlikely location and out-of-the-ordinary scenery refreshed my thinking, and sure enough, ideas flowed. Now I have an inspirational message I can share.

Perfect situation or not, I can keep working. I can find some way to be productive. Like poking seeds into rich soil and tending the plants as they grow, my continued efforts will bring a profitable result.

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23 NIV).

Now is a perfect time to write, and now I have another environment to write in – our newer car.

Kathy Davis

One Way to Keep from Being Robbed – Proverbs 24

Did you know we can cheat ourselves out of having what we need? This saying draws a picture of a lazy person’s field where his resources don’t grow well and his boundaries aren’t sound. That means animals and people can easily get into his business. Their laziness robs them.

used with permission hkeller. stockxchng
used with permission hkeller. stockxchng

“I went past the field of a sluggard, past the vineyard of someone who has no sense. Thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:

“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a thief, and scarcity like an armed man” (Proverbs 24:30-34 NIV).

He comes to poverty because he’d rather “chill” than take care of his own affairs.

Because of the way I was raised, being lazy hasn’t been much of a temptation for me. But there is one aspect to this I have struggled with – refusing to work hard and calling it “trusting God.” Oh, ouch!

This is what pried me loose from my misguided laziness-mixed-with-faith ideas: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23 NIV).

We will profit if we work hard. Hopefully, we will learn how to work better as we practice at it. Better productivity, more enjoyment in our work, etc.

There is a time for sleep, of course. But after some hard work sleep is especially sweet.

by Kathy Sheldon Davis