How to Get Rich

For Thursday, May 26, 2005
Proverbs 10:4

A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

I once commented to a relative about the bad luck of an individual who kept having trouble holding down jobs. The relative replied, "Sometimes you have to make your own luck." That is the point of this proverb. We cannot control all of our circumstances, but more often than not, our success or lack of success reflects personal discipline and attitude. The hard worker usually will fare better than the lax worker. The worker aspiring to improve himself and his circumstance will normally do better than the one merely hoping that life will get better. One of my observations as principal of City Center Academy was that a person's rank academically was more closely tied in with the work ethic of the student than with the student's natural ability. In most years, the valedictorian was not the most mentally gifted, but almost always the hardest and smartest worker.

Apply this principle spiritually. In truth, our growth spiritually is the result of the Holy Spirit working in us to sanctify us. But typically, that work can be seen in the attention we give to growing spiritually - our attentiveness to studying and being taught Scripture; our attention to prayer; our desire to be active in the church body and to serve in God's kingdom; our consciousness of being a witness for Christ in the workplace, school, and home by the good work that we do and the love we demonstrate. How diligent are you in becoming rich spiritually?