Proverbs 4
Wisdom Is Supreme
1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, [a] get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor."
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.
11 I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil; they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
24 Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Make level [b] paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 4:7 Or Whatever else you get
Proverbs 4:26 Or Consider
Friday, December 4, 2009
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What stands out most for me today are verses 25 and 26. They advise us to focus and to take steps that are firm. There is nothing wrong with innovation; however, I believe we also need to build on solid foundations and practice tried-and-true business principles so that our innovations will have a better chance to succeed.
ReplyDeleteAs I plan my upcoming week, I am going to pay particular attention to business basics, and make sure I am organized and on solid ground.
I am going to focus and not allow myself to be distracted. It is easy for me to say "no" if wicked people ask me to go on a killing spree or invite me to knock over a liquor store. However, it is harder to say "no" to seemingly innocent interruptions, such as someone calling to say hello. On the one hand, relationships are important. But, if I am to be a good steward of the business God has entrusted me with, then I have to balance work time with personal time. A true friend would understand and respect that.
Again the rewards of following God's path are described: long life, health, grace, honor, splendor, protection, etc. The one that stands out for me today is in Verse 12: "When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble."
ReplyDeleteIn business, especially in a turbulent economy, it can be difficult to discern which course of action to take. A plan or a new opportunity may look good on the surface; but, how are we to know if it is the one we should take?
If we are a follower of Christ, we would evaluate each decision by His standards. We would pray, and listen for God's direction. We would find out more about the people involved. Do they follow Christ? Do they have a history of making wise decisions? Only after we are certain of the people in charge should we turn to evaluate the fundamentals of the plan or opportunity.
Recently I was advised by a well-known internet marketer to invest in educational materials published by his latest "find". The man put up several short videos on YouTube which gave the basics of his teachings and encouraged us to buy his program for more indepth details. We were also encouraged to become affiliates and receive a commission if anyone we sent to his site purchased his course.
Frankly, the information itself was pretty good---at least what I saw from the YouTube video. However, one of my basic business principles is to check out the people behind any deal before I get involved. I Googled the guy and found that he had served time in prison for internet fraud. He had only been released a few months ago. That ended it for me.
Am I judging him? Well, yes and no. As a human being, I wish him well and I pray that he learned his lesson and will open his heart to Jesus. In that sense, I'm not judging him for his imprisonment. However, as a business person, I must choose my partners carefully. I will not put my reputation or my business in the hands of evil people.
Also, I will NOT recommend something simply because I sell it or receive income from it. The opposite is true. I will only sell something BECAUSE I can wholeheartedly recommend it.
This standard may limit my opportunities; but, it makes my work simpler and my paths straighter. When I run, I don't often stumble. God is guiding me along His path.