Doing vs. Saying

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: Proverbs 24:30-34

I. Proverbs 14:23

A. The book of Proverbs is filled with practical advice that yields wisdom to those who study it.

B. It contains insight about prospering in business, developing a happy marriage, parenting, and dating. It contains warnings about laziness, drunkenness, contentions, fornication, and the behavior of fools. Some verses are broad encompassing a wide range of subjects.

C. Read: Proverbs 14:23

D. “In all labor there is profit”

E. Diligent work always leads to some result or profit. Most work is neither easy nor fun but it does pay the bills. Even if you have a job you enjoy, there are times and duties that are unpleasant that you must do to make money. People who love to garden still must get dirty, sweaty, and dig through the soil if they want to have the flowers or produce of the garden.

F. “Mere talk leads to poverty”

G. In contrast to diligent labor, talk without action leads to poverty. Idle talking does not pay and has gotten some people fired. Grandiose plans and slick presentations may impress others but it does not pay one cent if no labor is expended to make the dream a reality.

II. Business application

A. The first obvious application—indeed the natural application—of this verse is to the business world.

B. Man at Teksouth

C. Early in personal computer period—before the average person could access the Internet—a man I knew had great plans to put pictures of houses for sale on videodisc with sale information for agents and customers. He had a prototype system, good marketing plan, and enthusiastic presentation; he did not have customers or profit from the work. In short, he planned and talked his way to poverty while other people, through hard work, were able to profit from similar ideas.

D. Ecclesiastes 5:3 – Dream + work = reality; Dream x multiple words = nothing

E. There are host of poor creative geniuses and many rich people of average intelligence that are distinguished by doing vs. saying.

III. Personal life

A. Marriage and parent/child relationships become unhealthy and unhappy through negligence.

B. A good marriage is the result of hard work; doesn’t happen by accident. Parenting is a job; building responsible adults is work.

C. Though the work is sometimes hard and difficult, a happy marriage and responsible godly children is pleasing profit.

IV. Spiritual growth

A. Is your spiritual life the product of hard work or mere talk?

B. Mere talk

C. Some people talk about “getting their life right” or “straightening up” but still hang out with ungodly friends, feed their minds with filth, and do not change. Some say they want to pray or study more—and do so year after year. Some talk about doing more things with their brethren, helping the sick or needy, or getting involved with some work in the church but do not act.

D. Diligent labor

E. Some realize their life is displeasing to God and change. Some want a closer relationship with God and their brethren and execute a plan to study and pray more and involve themselves with their brethren.

F. Proverbs 24:30-34

G. A lazy man’s house falls apart around him because he will not work. A person’s spiritual house—spiritual life—can be crumbling and overgrown through laziness and neglect.

H. We must spiritually wake up and work

I. Romans 13:11-14 – Awake and get busy1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 – get busy with good things Ephesians 5:14-17 – wake up and make good use of your time

V. Work of the church

A. There is much we can accomplish together as a church but we must act.

B. I have been in business meetings where a problem was identified and discussed in great detail and sometimes a plan of action was formed—but nothing was done and the problem remained.

C. 1 Corinthians 3:6-8 – God gives the increase but we must still work

D. Ephesians 4:16 – Each one doing their part

E. It is not the work of a few but of every single Christian: “There Is Room In The Kingdom”

VI. Summary

A. Must be busy with diligent work to see growth and profit in our lives

B. Wake up: Proverbs 20:13 Get up, quit playing around, and get to work: Proverbs 28:19 Proverbs 28:19 (NIV): “He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.”

C. “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

D. How sad it will be for those who dreamed of a close relationship with God and their brethren, a close loving family, and a meaningful life’s work but did not have them because they only dreamed and did not act.