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Tuesday, March 23, 2021

DILIGENCE VS HASTYNESS

Proverbs 22 notes how the thoughts of the diligent tend only toward plenteousness, but the thoughts of everyone that is hasty only to want. The way I have thought of this verse is: the diligent will have plenty, as in abundance, whereas the hasty will have want, as in the feeling he has not enough. In truth the diligent will identify what he wants and what is important. He will have a good idea of what needs to happen in terms of effort and material required to make it happen. He will create a plan, then implement the plan and will obtain all, if not more, than what he envisioned. The hasty just starts off with no idea of material, effort, or cost. He will spend up the little that he had and end with nothing. Perhaps he will be bitter about a dream lost with no idea of why it never became real.

Here is another way: the diligent will think in terms of having plenty, of being well prepared, of allowing for contingencies. While the hasty obsesses over his wants, of what he possesses, of what he perceives to be a need, of making life pleasant for himself.

It is OK to want things, but the wants must be tempered with reason and planning. There is a path to get there, but you must know what the path is and if it’s worth the trip. Once you know that, you must actually start taking steps along the path.