He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
A slack hand — inactive, idle, careless, and halfhearted effort — leads to and tends toward poverty and want, while the diligent, persevering hand can bring wealth, gain, and prosperity. The slack and inactive hand makes poor, and the diligent hand makes rich, with careless work ending in poverty and faithful diligence opening the way to wealth. Idleness itself contributes to want, and diligence is the path associated with gain.
The promise is not absolute, for diligence does not guarantee prosperity or outward success in every case. The diligent are not always prosperous, and success does not always follow human exertion. Swiftness does not always secure the race, nor strength the battle.
Indolence, idleness, and drowsiness harm spiritual life, damaging and destroying true godliness. They are contrary to godliness and harmful to it. Drowsy, lazy, indolent habits grieve the Spirit of God.
God never intended people to live in idleness, for even Adam in Eden was given employment. Physical strength and ability are a valuable trust to be used wisely and faithfully. The proper exercise and use of the physical and mental powers is necessary for their full development and for becoming useful.
The hill of progress in religious matters and in secular business is climbed only by personal effort, and no one is carried to the prize without his own exertions. Determined and persevering effort is therefore the remedy for an idle, unproductive life. Diligence in business belongs together with brotherly love, preferring one another in honor, refusal to be slothful, fervency in spirit, and serving the Lord. Such diligence in business brings a man to stand before kings and not before obscure or mean men.
Persevering, industrious labor brings riches, competency, and comfort. It makes the diligent happy themselves, blesses others, and enables them to contribute largely to the happiness of others. Such persevering, diligent energy is a blessing that dignifies and honors industry, and faithful energy honors industrious work. Faithful humble work remains the right course even when prosperity and outward success do not follow. In this it gives an example for ministers who feel hardship and privation.
A slack hand — inactive, idle, careless, and halfhearted effort — leads to and tends toward poverty and want, while the diligent, persevering hand can bring wealth, gain, and prosperity. The slack and inactive hand makes poor, and the diligent hand makes rich, with careless work ending in poverty and faithful diligence opening the way to wealth. Idleness itself contributes to want, and diligence is the path associated with gain.
The promise is not absolute, for diligence does not guarantee prosperity or outward success in every case. The diligent are not always prosperous, and success does not always follow human exertion. Swiftness does not always secure the race, nor strength the battle.
Indolence, idleness, and drowsiness harm spiritual life, damaging and destroying true godliness. They are contrary to godliness and harmful to it. Drowsy, lazy, indolent habits grieve the Spirit of God.
God never intended people to live in idleness, for even Adam in Eden was given employment. Physical strength and ability are a valuable trust to be used wisely and faithfully. The proper exercise and use of the physical and mental powers is necessary for their full development and for becoming useful.
The hill of progress in religious matters and in secular business is climbed only by personal effort, and no one is carried to the prize without his own exertions. Determined and persevering effort is therefore the remedy for an idle, unproductive life. Diligence in business belongs together with brotherly love, preferring one another in honor, refusal to be slothful, fervency in spirit, and serving the Lord. Such diligence in business brings a man to stand before kings and not before obscure or mean men.
Persevering, industrious labor brings riches, competency, and comfort. It makes the diligent happy themselves, blesses others, and enables them to contribute largely to the happiness of others. Such persevering, diligent energy is a blessing that dignifies and honors industry, and faithful energy honors industrious work. Faithful humble work remains the right course even when prosperity and outward success do not follow. In this it gives an example for ministers who feel hardship and privation.