Today’s Truth 
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. (Proverbs 14:23, NIV)    

Friend to Friend 
I’m going to stop wasting time on TV.

I am going to lose twenty pounds.

I would like to help the poor.

I’m going to show my kids I am the boss once and for all. 

I’ll apply myself at my work starting tomorrow. 

Do any of these sentiments sound familiar?  At some point, we get frustrated and fed up and make an impassioned vow to change.  Like when my forty-something-year-old face breaks out with acne because I ate way too much chocolate the day before, I promise “No more chocolate until Easter!”  

But alas, just a few days later if I’m given chocolate or find a secret stash at home, I’m prone to forget my words and eat dark, delicious chocolate instead.

It can be hard to back up our words with actions!  Yet words without supporting actions are weak and powerless.  

Today’s key verse reminds us that it’s hard work that results in profit, not just mere words, no matter how poetic or persuasive.  “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”  Hard work on one side of the equation.  Mere talk on the other.

Now for many of us, talking is easier than working!  But talking, without working, will make men and women poor, both financially and spiritually.  It says it this way in Proverbs 10:4 (NKJV), “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” 

Do you know someone who talks big but works little?  Now isn’t it funny that we quickly judge others based on their actions (I can’t believe she didn’t show up to volunteer!).  But we judge ourselves based on our intentions (Well, I was planning to go but something important came up).  With others especially those closest to us, we demand justice.  With ourselves, we tend to apply mercy. 

So, let’s take a moment today to take inventory of our talk and our walk.  Do we follow through with our commitments?  Do we work or do we just talk about how much we work?  If I profess to be a Christian woman, do I act like one?  Does my calendar, social media, bank account, credit card bill, and movie collection confirm or contradict who I say I am?

Now don’t get carried away.  This isn’t meant to make you a crazed, work-oriented, legalistic person.  Go back to the equation addressed in today’s proverb: hard work on one side, mere talk on the other.  This is about ditching grandiose speeches and empty promises and foolish words.  It’s about embracing hard work, good habits, faithfulness and diligence.  Diligence means “careful and persistent work or effort.” 

I read this saying in a Bible commentary about today’s key verse: “The stirring hand gets a penny.”  Nowadays, not very many people are willing to stir anything for just a penny.  We’re into “get rich quick” schemes and “3 easy steps” to whatever solution we need.  But the way you get ahead in life is by being willing to put in a good day’s work – whether that’s at home, in your career, or your personal life. 

Hard work may not be popular or easy to market, but it truly is the pathway of growth and success.  

Let’s Pray 
Dear Jesus, thank You for always loving me just as I am.  Help me embrace hard work and understand the profit it brings to my life.  Forgive me for being lazy in certain areas of my life.  May I work heartily at everything I do, as if I am working to bring Your Name honor. 
In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn   
Would your friends say you are a hard worker?    
In what area of your life do you need to be more diligent? 

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  • My frienda will say i work hard. I would say i need to put more time in my ministry and business and being a TEACHER for my kids. Things have changed and the turn around has been sudden But i am thrilled that i am able to keep pressing forward no matter what the case maybe. Ne'Eman. I know im the type to get bored easily with things. So i have to multi task praise God.

  • Ne'eman yes I believe they would say I'm a hard worker.but what I should put more time in is my very own businesses. Making more time for it. Thats a area I could be more deligent inn. 

  • My friends would definetely say i am a hard worker. I do all that i can on my job i work long hours to secure the bag. However, I do need to excert that same energy will and drive for the ministry i can admit that. Moreover, I am more determined and to complete my mission.

  • Truly sticking to one thing. I am truly asking go for sticking to one thing long enough to actually finish. My God. I Am truly better at this I can say. But it came from God. I would get bored very quickly. But God, I work hard to finish and accomplish the goals I set with God's assistance, and know that I chose to be obedient, God has place some challenges with in me to meet. Praise God and that truly makes me happy.

  • My Friends would say i am a hard worker. I admit i need to put more time in to my owm company then just to a place of work. And i could do more in ministry as well which is about to change.

  • yes my friends will say I am a hard worker. But I want to be a hard worker for myself but it seems like I just can't when I know that I can I don't know why I just don't have the drive as I want to have. I guess I'm looking at the profit instead of the fun and the drive of my own business. I need more diligent in everything that I do in life it self. 

  • Powerful teaching and Poweful prayer, I take ownership of every word. 

  • Side-notes:

    Today’s key verse reminds us that it’s hard work that results in profit.  in Proverbs 10:4 (NKJV), “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”

    Do you know someone who talks big but works little?  Now isn’t it funny that we quickly judge others based on their actions (I can’t believe she didn’t show up to volunteer!).  But we judge ourselves based on our intentions (Well, I was planning to go but something important came up).  With others especially those closest to us, we demand justice.  With ourselves, we tend to apply mercy.

    So, let’s take a moment today to take inventory of our talk and our walk. 

    Do we follow through with our commitments? Yes 

    Do we work, or do we just talk about how much we work? work and talk

    If I profess to be a Christian woman, do I act like one? absolutlity bear the fruit of a christain woman daily. 

    Does my calendar, social media, bank account, credit card bill, and movie collection confirm or contradict who I say I am? Not at all, there is no contradictions here. 

     

    Would your friends say you are a hard worker?  Yes, my friends and faimly too. 

     

       
    In what area of your life do you need to be more diligent?  in prayer time, in word time, in ministering to God etc... 

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