“
27 Put your outdoor work in order
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.
30 I went past the field of a sluggard,
past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.
”
The timing of these Proverbs always seems to amaze me. Of course, in an entire chapter there is bound to be wisdom that directly applies to my current situation. As I write this chapter from home, we have just moved into a new house. It has been a crazy time to be in a lockdown while also trying to move. The hardest part was that none of our friends were able to come help us pack up the house.
The wisdom of Solomon, written over 4,000 years ago is poignant today. In this proverb he instructs us to set up our business well financially before we take profits to spend on personal needs and wants. So many in our world today live paycheck to paycheck; never saving for a time of crisis, always trying to keep up with the culture. Unfortunately, when a pandemic hits, they are swamped financially.
I believe Solomon would have been well positioned to survive this economic pandemic if he were a business owner today. Diversified and maintaining a strong balance sheet, he would have reserves available not only for his own family but also for his employees. He may not have had as big a house as he could have had, but he also wouldn’t be at risk of losing that house either.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
As a Christin business leader, what does it look like to follow Solomon’s wisdom here? What is our responsibility to our employees and our community in this time? When we emerge from this crisis, how will we prepare differently for the next one? Share your thoughts below.