Business by the Book Proverbs 20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty … Someone once said, “The only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary.” One sure way to stifle success is to love sleep. Sleep, what a wonderful word. It is a word that conjures up remembrances of rest, comfort, cool sheets, and soft pillows. Sleep is a word describing an action that we all must have every day. Sleep is much like money or eating in that it is lovely to participat

Business by the Book Proverbs 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. Understanding of people goes a long way toward earning success. Great leaders usually become successful in business. One of the things most great leaders have in common is the ability to understand people. To place the right individuals in key positions of responsibility requires the ability to understand others. Sometimes that which a person really

Business by the Book Proverbs 20:4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. There was once a pastor of a church that was holding a revival. The pastor spent hour upon hour in the weeks before the scheduled event walking the streets of his town inviting folks to attend. On a certain day he knocked upon a door and a man answered. “Hi, I’m pastor so and so of such and such church, we are holding a revival next week a

Business by the Book Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. Lending money to another is seldom a good financial plan. But giving to the poor, that is tantamount to lending to the Lord. The Lord always repays His debts. In fact, the promise in today’s verse states clearly that that which a person gives to the poor the Lord will pay back to that person. So in reality, giving money to indigent c

Business by the Book Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly… On social media a person can “friend” someone or they can “unfriend” someone both with a simple click of a mouse. In real life however, it is more difficult. Developing friends takes real effort, and “unfriending” a friend in real life is much easier said than done. If a person desires to have friends, and almost all successful people do, there are at least three things they can do to gain

Business by the Book Proverbs 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. The biggest part of the word “slothful” is sloth. “Slothful” means to be full of sloth. Whenever the word comes across my mind I think of crude box in a hog pen into which the hog food is thrown. It is an altogether negative word that should be shied away from in all forms. However it is used fifteen times in Scripture: evidently the Lord wants to warn of the dre

Business by the Book Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. No doubt, you’ve heard it, “It is better to be quiet and be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt.” I have violated this piece of advice so often that I could probably give an example every day for a month. Three readily come to mind. I was young and my family was fishing. We were crappie fishing. We

Business by the Book Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Most of the truly successful people I know have a merry countenance. The question arises then, does success bring forth a merry heart, or does a merry heart bring forth success. Someone may say, “If I had all that they have I would be merry too!” All the while discounting the fact that those who are successful were of a merry outlook before success came knock

Business by the Book Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. Wherever great energy is being dispensed, strife will be present. Highly productive people expend great amounts of energy. Energy creates heat, heat causes friction, and friction causes strife. Strife is unavoidable for it will come. The way one reacts to strife, however, can diminish the probability of strife growing int

Business by the Book Proverbs 17:8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth. I Corinthians 7:7 states: …every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner,… Even the most agnostic of souls have used or heard the term “God-given ability.” The ability that God gives is a gift of God. Paul is sure to tell the people of the church in Corinth that every man has been gifted by God in some area. Some have inte

Business by the Book Proverbs 16:26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him. First and foremost you work for yourself. You are your own industry. You have a product which is made up of your time, your talent, your ability, your knowledge, your skill, and your personality. Whether you are creative or analytical you are your product. Not only does each worker need to understand this, each employer also needs to understand this. Being your own i

Business by the Book Proverbs 16:20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: Labor disputes, conflict resolutions, warranty issues, unforeseen consequences of major decisions, market fluctuations, supply shortages, transportation logistics, inventory problems: these and so many other business matters must be handled daily. Managers have the task to manage matters, both big and small. Handling matters wisely is a gift, an art, and a learned skill all rolled up into on

Business by the Book Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Most of the business people I know are in business for the long term. They desire success not for a week, a month, or even a year. They work for success that will endure for a lifetime. In their early years they work, scrimp, save, invest, work some more, and plan to have some financial independence during their years of retirement. This takes lifelong success. Perhaps the

Business by the Book Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! You’ve heard it “Give a man a fish he will eat for one meal, teach a man to fish he will eat for a lifetime.” The reason is self-evident; the ability to fish will provide fish every day, while one fish will be consumed in one meal. Likewise, wisdom and understanding are better than silver and gold. Why? Wisdom and understanding will b

Business by the Book Proverbs 15:33 …before honour is humility. “Don’t put the cart before the horse.” Horses do not push the cart, they pull the cart. In actuality the horse is the leader of the cart and everything in the cart. It is the horse that pulls, it is the horse that labors, and it is the horse that must put its muscles to the job and its shoulders in the yoke. Everything in the cart goes for a ride, but the horse must make its own way down the path. So too is le

Business by the Book Proverbs 15:27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house… Company cars are a wonderful thing. Since I was twenty one years old I have enjoyed the use of a company car. As a delivery man I was given a new van, as a service technician the company issued a great big station wagon (it was so long I had to go to the airport to turn it around), as a salesman and manager the appropriate sedan was provided, as a pastor the church has provided for my GMC t

Business by the Book Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. Nobody is the smartest person in the room. They may think so, but thinking something to be true doesn’t make it true. A person may be very wise, and in many things excel all others in knowledge, but there is always someone who knows more about something. Think of a room that is filled with highly successful people, one may know almost everyt

Business by the Book Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. “Tell me faster!” That is what my boss told me. He was a northeasterner, raised in New York, educated in New York, lived in New York, even worked on Wall Street in New York. He was always in a hurry on the phone. Upon answering my call I knew that I had about thirty seconds to present whatever it was that I needed to talk to him about. I would rehe

Business by the Book Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Well said! Leadership is not loudership. Or, one does not become a leader by being louder. This is demonstrated in a page from the life of Jacob. Jacob was returning home to Canaan from Padan-aram where he served Laban for twenty-one years. On the arduous journey home he said to his brother Esau, …I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the ch

Business by the Book Proverbs 14:31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. Throughout Scripture there is a thread of instruction concerning the treatment of poverty stricken people. Concerning the poor Jesus made an astounding statement in Mark 14:7, For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good:… Yes, there have always been poor people and there will always be poor people. Some a