This exercise of blogging every day for the 31 days of August is two-thirds complete. My own diligence is producing results. I look forward to “decompressing” on September 1st with my thoughts on what this has meant to me.
Three verses stand out to me in the 21st chapter of Proverbs. Remember, despite the obvious religious connection, these are timeless truths that we can all benefit from—at least that is my hope and my intention.
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to want. (Prov 21:5, NRSV)
In much of Proverbs, each verse is a couplet pitting one concept against another. Often the theme is righteousness versus wickedness, prosperity versus want, wisdom versus folly. In this verse, diligence is contrasted with haste. I never thought of diligence as involving a lack of haste, but on reflection it does. Yes, some effects of diligence are almost immediate, most notably a rise in self-esteem. But diligence involves planning for the long term.
Network marketing is an exercise in diligence. Those who expect immediate riches are almost invariably disappointed. Network marketing is hard work, especially in this Land of Instant Gratification. I coach those whom I enroll in my business to think big, think slow, and think long-term. Not all of them are able to do this, but those that do are richly rewarded.
Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich. (Prov 21:17, NRSV)
This verse hits a bit too close to home for me. Back in 2001 after I was “downsized” from my job, I portrayed myself as semiretired. I remodeled the upstairs bedrooms, ripped up the wall-to-wall carpeting downstairs, had the hardwood floors refinished, and took nice vacations. Little did I know that the money would run out. In retrospect, that time would have been better spent making plans for residual income streams.
I’ve learned my lesson, and my readers can benefit greatly from my own prodigality. One thing that I have learned is that we are put here on this planet to serve, not to be served. Once I internalized this truth, my life started turning around. That is not to say that I don’t allow myself to enjoy the finer things in life. I do. I just don’t focus on them as my reason for being.
All day long the wicked covet,
but the righteous give and do not hold back. (Prov 21:26, NRSV)
Finally, there is great power in giving. Generosity invariably brings prosperity. This is a recurring theme in my writing, and for good reason. Give generously. Give without expecting anything in return. I guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
