Proverbs

Essay Question 3- Proverbs: Words of Wisdom

1. Describe the teachings of Hebrew wisdom on diligence and laziness.

The Essence of the Old Testament describes and states that according to Hebrew wisdom “lazy behavior results in poverty while diligence results in wealth” (Hindson and Yates 266).1 The Bible tells us in Proverbs that “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich” (Proverbs 10:4). If anyone truly understood these sayings was the author, Solomon himself. Being a man of God, who experienced God on every level from practical to spiritual, Solomon earned the right to talk about wisdom. Hindson and Yates pointed out how the Hebrew writer signified a “balanced view” of wealth and poverty (Hindson and Yates 266).1 In response to this view, God never tells us a one sided story. This same view is displayed and demonstrated throughout the Bible. Each writer, inspired by God, always shows us comparisons of right and wrong, holy and unholy, clean and unclean, and so on. If God did not do this we would not be able to practice free will. One significance about free will is that it requires both choices and decisions. God never requires people to make a decision until He has presented us with choices. Even if some of those choices are not the right ones, God will present them to us. So this brings us to the balanced view concerning diligence and laziness. God reveals through the writer that diligence has its rewards while laziness will get you nothing. For example, Proverbs 12:27 says “The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting; but the substance of a diligent man is precious.” As I said before, a diligent man has rewards. This verse went on to say that a diligent man’s rewards are also precious meaning that they are valuable. The lazy or the slothful wait and wait to the point they never get anything done. If you do not do anything, you definitely will not get anything. Now that God has...