Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 10:4, NASB

Have you ever envied the rich? Or maybe you have wished that your children were turning our better. Perhaps you wonder why other people seem to enjoy such good health, while you just seem to go from one health problem to another. What is it, that separates the "haves" from the "have nots"? Is it just the luck of the draw - some kind of genetic lottery? Is God somehow being unfair to us and playing favorites?

The answer to these questions is a little complicated, but I believe that each one of us can enjoy greater wealth, more pleasant families, and better health if we would just do certain things. It is true that there are some things out of our control, as was pointed out by the same person who authored the verse above. Solomon said the following about the random parts of our lives:

I again saw that the race is not to the swift, and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability, for time and chance overtake them all.

Ecclesiastes 9:11, NASB

If you read the full context of Ecclesiastes, you will discover that Solomon is not saying the things that happen to us are purely a matter of chance, but he is pointing out that unexpected and unfortunate things do indeed affect our lives in a negative fashion from time to time. However, this fact does not change the basic truth of the passage we started with in Proverbs chapter 10 - that our effort can and will make a difference. So, all other things being the same (in other words, sometimes events happen that are out of our control) diligence will always lead to superior outcomes than negligence. So, it really is how we respond to our misfortunes, as well as the way in which we conduct our everyday lives that will prove to be the deciding factor in whether we are successful in the areas of our life that are so important to us all.

Perhaps an example will help. I once saw a young man trip and fall at the beginning of a 100-yard dash - that was unfortunate indeed. Sometimes a rock rolls under our feet, sometimes we have a slick spot on the track, but whatever the cause, sometimes things happen that are genuinely out of our control. However, it was the things that are in our control that this particular young man employed that overcame his "bad luck". Instead of just wallowing there, he got up and finished the race. Because he had trained for the race and had kept his body in good physical condition, he not only finished the race, but actually came in second. He could have just wallowed there as so many with "negligent hands" are prone to do, but that was not in this young man's character. No, this young man had the diligent hands that God so longs for us to have, so he not only finished the race, but he also exceeded everyone's expectations by nearly winning it.

A few years after that, one of my daughters (who had no doubt heard me praise this young man for his never give up attitude) had a similar incident where she fell at the beginning of a hundred-yard dash. To my delight, she got up and not only finished the race but won it as well. A lot of people might think that the winning is the most remarkable part of these two stories, but they would be wrong. It is the diligent attitude that causes one to prepare and to perform regardless of the circumstances, and this was the thing that impresses me most in both of these individuals.

What is so impressive about these two people? I think we all have seen situations in which someone has suffered a "bad break" but instead of finishing the race, they just laid there to show you how the failure wasn't their fault at all. I don't know what your personal experience has been, but I have observed that there are a lot more "wallowers" in life than there are those who shake off their misfortunes and get up to finish the race.

Now, getting back to the point of this article. It is true that the acquisition of physical riches is much more likely to come to those who practice diligence, as compared to the same person in the same set of circumstances who takes a more negligent approach to life. However, it is in other areas of life where success is not measured in dollars that this diligent attitude will pay the most valuable dividends. It is in the raising of your family. It is in the way you perform your job and treat others while you are doing so. And it is especially in the way that you serve the Lord. True wealth has always been something that is measured in those things that money cannot buy, so it is in your personal relationships, your working relationships and, most importantly, in your relationship to God and Christ that will have the most meaningful impact. 

When we live a life of diligence life will turn out well and that life will be "rich" indeed. But, if you just lay there on the ground every time something bad or unforeseen happens to you, then you are likely going to experience a much poorer life. You are for sure going to experience a much poorer eternity, for God really does reward those who lovingly and diligently serve Him, and He really will punish those whose negligent service displays their lack of love for both He and Christ.

Do you desire a richer life? Are you like me in the fact that you have at times blamed "bad luck" or "unfair" people for your lack of success? If so, it is time for all of us to begin to lead a life of sincere diligence in all those areas that mean so much to us. Perhaps one of the neatest things about all of this is that the choice between true wealth and poverty is completely up to us.