“In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” (Proverbs 14:23-25, NASB)

We love sharing our plans, making to-do lists, and talking about doing great things in the future. When we talk about them, we feel excited. It feels like we are making progress, but talking about it is not the same as doing it. Here is a lesson that we can learn from today’s reading: Wisdom plus diligence equals success. It says,

“In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools is foolishness. A truthful witness saves lives, but he who speaks lies is treacherous.”

These words show us that there is a big difference between words and actions. Planning is a good place to start, but we cannot stop there. A great idea is worthless if we never actually work on it. To achieve success, we need to combine two very important things: wisdom and diligence. God values this combination. When we look at the Bible and at how the world around us works, we can see this is true. Throughout the Bible, God blessed people who used their minds to plan wisely and their hands to work hard.

For example, Joseph was loved by his father and blessed with many blessings, but to be used in a great way, he had to endure much suffering. He was sold as a slave, falsely accused, imprisoned, and forgotten by everyone. In each of these situations, God was with him, blessed him, and made him prosperous. Genesis 39:3 sums up his life by saying, “Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand.” God did not just bless Joseph as he sat around talking about faith and his future plans. No. He worked with “his hand,” and God made it prosper and be successful in whatever he put his hands to. It takes God’s wisdom to plan your goals and future, but it also takes diligence with your hands to make it work. Let’s remember this equation and make it work in our lives: wisdom plus diligence equals success.