BIBLE COMMENTARY/Proverbs 10: 4
PROVERBS 10: 4 – He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
– Everyone knows the benefits of diligence in work, so Christians should have this virtue in our lives.
– Because it is a virtue, a personal character, it’s not always present in everyone. People must know how to be diligent in work.
– First, people must have the motivation to be diligent. In most cases, it’s the desire to be rich, to have more money, or to have a secure life that makes people try to work hard and be diligent.
– But being rich should not be the sole motive for people to be diligent, because people could be diligent for all the wrong reasons. There were many examples of people who were obsessed with money, despite being diligent (Ecclesiastes 5: 10). This would result in extreme behaviors that could cause people to lose track of rest and relaxation (Ecclesiastes 2: 23, 5: 12).
– That’s why we Christians should have a better motive to be diligent.
– We want to be diligent because we know it is what God wants us to be and this virtue will please Him (Romans 12: 11). We Christians are like children who respects their father and want to do his will. We will show our respect to our heavenly Father, Who loved us so much that He came into the world and died on the cross for all of us.
– Moreover, we Christians should always be diligent to become a good example for others, especially for unbelievers.
– Nobody likes lazy people, and as we are Christians, we would tarnish our reputation and God’s too if we were lazy.
– Therefore we should be diligent in our work and should know how to take rest (Psalm 23: 2), because God want us to be balanced in all aspects of our lives
– Living like that, we will be good witnesses for our Father to the whole world.
QUOTED VERSES
PSALM 23: 2 – He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the [c]still waters.
ECCLESIASTES 2: 23 – For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
ECCLESIASTES 5: 10 – He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
ECCLESIASTES 5: 12 – The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
ROMANS 12: 11 – Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.