In all labor there is profit
Proverbs 14:23 A modern tale showing how this 3,000 year old proverb still rings true
”In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.“
Proverbs 14:23 NASB1995
God pointed me toward the Book of Proverbs again today, which fills me with joy because I love how these timeless bits of knowledge are as meaningful and accurate today as when they were written nearly 3,000 years ago.
There’s a very true example of this proverb in action here in the Denver area. A man by the name of Jose Ramirez was the seventh of 15 children, and had a dream of owning his own restaurant. He started off working as a grocery store bag boy at age 13, then began working as a restaurant server at a Mexican restaurant. He put his back into that job, working as many as 60 to 70 hours a week, eventually becoming the server manager.
Over the years, he saved up his money to open up his first restaurant in the southern Denver suburb of Centennial in 2002. He named the restaurant Los Dos Potrillos (“The Two Colts”) after his two sons, Luis and Daniel. After opening the restaurant, he had only $5.18 left in his bank account, and he told his first customers if they didn’t like the food, he’d buy it for them. His hard work and dedication to quality paid off, and now Los Dos Potrillos has five locations and a cervecería (brewery).
So, did Jose Ramirez just sit around and talk or dream about opening a restaurant? No, he worked hard, not just while saving up money to open his first restaurant, but for years afterwards. His sons (who now manage some of the other locations) also learned the value of hard work and there would “be a profit” thanks to that hard work.
Hard work is always rewarded. Sure, there may not be an immediate profit, but the Christian knows that he or she receives reward from God, and working hard also builds and demonstrates character.
One thing that used to drive me somewhat nuts when I was in corporate America was watching people just stand around and talk instead of doing work. That “mere talk” doesn’t help earn profits for either the employees or the company, and if it isn’t discouraged, it can lead to poverty when a business fails.
Let’s end today’s look at Proverbs 14:23 with two short and sweet commentaries about hard work’s rewards:
“People should be more afraid of idle talk than of hard work. Or, to put it another way, do not just talk about it — Do it!”1
“Great talkers are do-littles, for the most part…. And ‘why stand you looking upon one another? Get you down to Egypt,’ said Jacob to his sons. [Genesis 42:1-2]”2
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord in Heaven, I thank You for the wisdom found in Your Word, which is just as accurate today as it was when it was first written. Thank You for teaching me the value of hard work during my life, which has always provided me with rewards that I am able to share with those who are in need. I pray that Your Word and this wisdom is useful in teaching younger generations that mere talk leads to poverty. AMEN.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Ross, Allen P. "Proverbs: The Expositor's Bible Commentary" Volume 5 (Psalms-Song of Songs) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1991)
Trapp, John "A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments" Volume 3 (Proverbs to Daniel) (Eureka, California: Tanski Publications, 1997)