PROVERBS LESSON 6
FINANCIAL PROSPERITY
By PAULINE SMITH
One day Mark came home all disturbed and called to his mother. "Mama, did you know that Brown’s Department Store has closed? The boys at school said they heard that he’d gone bankrupt.
"Yes, Mark, I heard that, " she replied. Mark asked her how that could be when Mr. Brown had the newest and finest house in town. His mother answered, "Yes, and that may be the reason that he has had financial troubles. He came into town and built this beautiful house and we all wondered what kind of business he had. It turned out that he then bought a store downtown and began to stock and operate his store. But it takes some time to build a business and as a rule businesses are not very profitable for a few years. It seems Mr. Brown had never read Proverbs 24:27". Mark wanted to know what Solomon knew about Mr. Brown. "Solomon knew nothing of Mr. Brown" his mother said, "But he was very wise and knew what happened in life He also bought and sold shiploads of merchandise and knew a great deal about business He was very wealthy and successful in business."
" I want to read to you this verse in Proverbs which says, ‘Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.’ This was written when most people farmed. But the amplified version brings home the meaning for us in today’s and gives us the full meaning saying, ‘Develop your business first before building your house.’ This is excellent advice for us today."
"He gave us much good advice and people today should follow it. Mark, how can you make money when you do not have enough to buy something you want?"
"I try to get a job where I can work for it. Sometimes Dad will have a job for me," answered Mark.
Mother told him that was right and Solomon tells us in Proverbs 20:13, "Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare." Mother told Mark that Proverbs 21:25,26 says "The lazy man longs for many things but his hands refuse to work. He is greedy to get, while the godly love to give." Mother said, "There is another thing that Solomon tells us that many people need to take to heart. He says in the amplified version of Proverbs 3 27,28 ‘Don’t withhold repayment of your debts. Don’t say, ‘some other time’ if you can pay now."
Mother went on, "Still another thing is taught in Proverbs. In long ago times the only scales that people used were balances that the person put weights on one end and weighed the material on the other end."
Mark said, "I’ve seen pictures of scales like that in books. I guess when you went to get some meat at the market they put the meat on one end and weights on the other. If it was a pound they would use one weight and if it was a half pound, they would use a smaller one. If it was a pound and a half they would use both."
Mother said, "I will read from Proverbs 16:11 which says, ‘Honest scales and balances are from the Lord; all the weights in the bag are of his making.’ This tells us that false weights are from the devil and are not honest. Proverbs 11:1 says, ‘The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.’." In the amplified version of Proverbs 28:6 it says "Better to be poor and honest than rich and a cheater." In 2002 we have seen how so many heads of companies have been guilty of fraud and they, their companies and families are feeling their ruin Other people have been hurt too. Truly today it is better to be poor and honest just as Solomon said many years ago.
Solomon said in Proverbs 13:11 ‘Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.’ The amplified version gives us this, "Wealth from gambling quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows." This gives us the meaning of the scripture. However, dishonest money could come from crooked deals or illegal activities as well as gambling. Solomon says in Proverbs 14:23 ‘All hard work brings a profit but mere talk leads only to poverty.’
Very good advice is found in Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver and gold.’ Verse 4 of the same chapter tells us, ‘Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life.’"
Mother knew it was about suppertime and so she said, " Solomon also wrote the book of Ecclesiastes and he summed up everything in Ecclesiastes 12:13 which says. "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter; fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man.’ That is what I hope and pray you will never forget, Mark. And remember also the things we have read from Proverbs today."
Mark said, "I hope I never forget them."
1. Solomon said to first develop your ___________ and then build your _______________.
2. If you love sleep (when it is time to work) you will grow____________.
3. The lazy man wants many things but his hands refuse to ____________.
4. We should ________ our debts as soon as we can.
5. ______________scales and balances are from the Lord.
6. Better to be poor and _____________ than _____________and a cheater.
7. _____________money dwindles but if we gather it __________by ___________ it will grow.
8. Hard ___________brings a profit.
9. Mere_______________ leads to poverty.
10. A good ___________is more desirable than great _____________.
11. Humility and the fear of the __________ bring wealth and honor and life.
12. Fear _____________ and keep his ____________________ for this is the whole duty of man.