Proverbs 10:4 “Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.”
This contrast is made between the poor and rich as it deals not with money, but with character. There are many things that can bring poverty, but none quite as swift as one’s inability to become active in the various labors of life. He is like the man who because of fear hid his talent in the earth, and there are numerous fears that attack the mind of a slothful and lazy person. It’s too cold, or it’s too hot. What if people don’t accept me? What if my work is not good enough? The bottom line is that fear is an enemy of faith. Fear does not see what it can become, but what is in the eyes of its present circumstances. It does not believe that circumstances, people, and opportunities can change, therefore it remains idle.
On the contrary, the diligent does not consider what obstacles it might face. It concentrates more on the daily work that is at hand, knowing that over time opportunities will arise, and they will therefore be able to take advantage of them, if they are properly prepared to face them. The cynics say that society is cruel and unfair. This is true. But I believe that society is created in such a way that it cannot help but notice and reward those who best serve it, despite its sometimes cruel and unfair ways. The diligent of society always find their way to the top, no matter how far down the ladder they might start. It’s like my grandmother used to say, “The cream will always rise to the top, no matter how big the jar might be.”
Pastor LaVaughn
