Proverbs 18:9
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He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
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Men fail financially for two major reasons. Some are lazy: they do not apply themselves with passionate zeal and diligence to their professions. They never make much. See the comments on 6:11. Others waste the higher income they make by hard work. They risk it in foolish ventures and spend it for pleasures. See the comments on 6:7 and 12:27.
Lazy men, who may take care of their few assets, often despise the waste of hardworking men. And diligent men, who may be wasteful in squandering their income, often despise the slothfulness of men more careful than themselves. But these men are brothers! Both faults are sins; both faults bring financial ruin; both faults deserve great shame.
There is no virtue in diligence, if a diligent man wastes his greater productivity by foolish risk-taking and over-spending. And there is no virtue in careful financial management, if the cautious man is too lazy to produce as much as he could. These men are brothers! They come from the same family - financial and professional ruin! They are both losers!
Reader, what is your temptation? Under-working? Over-spending? Or both? Either of these two financial errors will ruin you. Stop and consider your folly today! Rather than justify yourself by despising the man with the other fault, despise yourself by admiring the man without your fault! Make a change! Work harder! Or waste less! Or do both!
Diligent men work hard. They apply themselves with effort and persistence. They rise rapidly in their professions; their income levels are high. But they often complain about the high cost of living, though the real problem is the cost of high living. They squander their income by excessive spending (12:27; 21:17,20; 23:20-21). They lose their assets by foolish speculation (6:1-5; 28:19-20,22). Solomon condemned both kinds of waste.
Careful men are prudent. They will pinch a dime. They avoid most investments, for they trust nothing. They look for bargains; they live frugally. They do not take risks; they are content with little; they stretch a dollar. But they often have little, for they do not grasp the reward of hard labor (10:4; 12:11,27; 13:4; 20:4,13; 22:29). They apply the same stingy mentality in work habits - they pace themselves and work without passion.
These two errors steal success from men. Are you slothful in your business? Or do you waste the increase from your labor? Or are you guilty of both? Hate both faults - for they are equally foolish sins. Be diligent and zealous in your efforts; and be conservative in your spending. Waste nothing. And remember that both rules apply to your soul as well.
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