Worthless Pursuits

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Worthless Pursuits

Proverbs 12:11 ESV

¹¹ Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.

This verse is another that is a study in contrast. This is one who labors “but”. An adversative is introduced. Here also other verses in this chapter, 14, 24, and 27, give some help on the intent of Vs 11.

Very simply stated, “labor profits but fantasy impoverishes”. I read recently of Chinese proverbs “No food without blood and sweat” and “No one who can rise before dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich”. Outliers pg 238. The truth of effort in production is near universal.

The writer by contrasts informs the reader of several important truths.

A. While in all labor there is profit, to expect an increase separate from labor is foolishness.

B. Those who fail to labor will experience a lack of necessities.

C. He who follows any pursuit which dismisses labor is foolish.

D. In normal circumstances the one who has plenty has worked for it.

The verses in context give additional help on this truth. Verses 14 places us squarely on the law of the harvest in Galatians 6:8. “Whatsoever one sows that shall he also reap.” There is no exception to this. You may not get all the harvest you expect from what you can sow, but you certainly are not going to harvest something different from what you sow. If you sow corn you are not going to reap strawberries.

The whole idea that what we experience is a result of “luck” is put to rest in Vs 24. The success of those who succeed is not an accident or luck. It is the diligence with which he or she pursues their goals that most often makes them to differ. You may not, and very few have, desire to be a Navy Seal. But if you do, it is diligence with a capital D that wins the spot.

There is a cause for want. Verses 27 is a reason for this. Sloth or negligent laziness brings a person to hunger. Any person who walks onto the hunting field with a gun should have a simple creed, “If you don’t intent to clean it don’t kill it.” To take this one step further, “if you don’t intend to see it eaten, don’t kill it.”

The slothful is the opposite of the diligent. It is always easier to envy than to succeed by application of diligence.

This past week Steve Jobs died. The accomplishments of this man were in a certain sense without comparison. Why was this so? Was he born wealthy? No. Was he a genius? In a limited sense, yes. Did he have a sudden epiphany? No. A study of Jobs and his life must admit he was a man of unusual diligence. His pursuit of learning and the application of what he learned are what marked him above all else.

Labor, diligence, and a firm grasp of reality are commended to those who believe and apply the truth of Scriptures. As these are the principles of a satisfying life, they are even more applicable to Spiritual growth. You will sow. Success in Spiritual growth is determined by the direction of your sowing, either “to the spirit” or “to the flesh”. You too can be rich spiritually.