Proverbs 10:4

 The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about work ethic:

Proverbs 10:4

Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,

But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Isn't it amazing how many people complain that life hasn't given them what they deserve!   They sit around and complain and groan and find fault with the system and with "the man".   They envy the wealthy and believe the wealthy were given their wealth and don't deserve it.  It would be probable that they are often right with their assessment of wealth.  However, this proverb tells us that poverty and wealth are not always a problem with the system.   Whereas the system may be wrong and broken, it is not the system that always leads to the distribution of wealth.   There are some who sit around and complain and have nothing because all they do is sit around and complain.   They neglect doing work with their "hands" and find they have nothing as a result.   It is equally true that those who have wealth also have a "diligent" hand.   Diligence produces wealth while negligence produces poverty.   The next time you want to fight "the man" and think the rich should be asked to "sacrifice" for the common good, ask yourself if the "negligent" should be rewarded by the hands of the "diligent"?   That is not what God teaches in this proverb.  The system certainly needs to be upgraded, or even dismantled.  But, whatever replaces it can be something that rewards the negligence of some by the diligent hand of others.  That is not God’s way.  Work ethic matters to God.