Proverbs 12:27

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about being diligent:

Proverbs 12:27 (NASBStr)

A lazy man does not roast his prey,

But the precious possession of a man is diligence.

Proverbs 12:27 (NIV1984)

The lazy man does not roast his game,

but the diligent man prizes his possessions.

Proverbs 12:27 (ESV)

Whoever is slothful will not roast his game,

but the diligent man will get precious wealth.

Slothful people don't roast what they catch.   They typically eat what others catch.  In fact they are obsessed with what others catch, grow, earn, profit and/or build.  They, themselves, do none of that and therefore have nothing in harvest or at dinner; unless provided by others.   The converse side of the above proverb is stated in the second line.   A diligent man can take great pride in his own possessions.  Because he was diligent, industrious and hard working, this man sees the preciousness of his possessions.  He sees the value since he worked so hard for them.   He doesn't dream about them (like the slothful); he doesn't let them rust (like the field of the slothful); he doesn't desire, envy and/or steal what others have; nor does he see a lion and fear and therefore resist the challenge before him.   No, the diligent works by faith, trusting that God will provide the victory and the spoils.  You can rejoice in the spoils because God enabled you to work hard for them.   When things come easy, or from others you don't appreciate the hard work and the diligence it takes to earn them.  That is Solomon's wisdom in this Proverb.  There is something psychological about earning and working for your own wealth.  The diligent know this.  The slothful know nothing of the kind.