Working Hard is Profitable

Proverbs 31:18
She sees that her trading is profitable;
her lamp does not go out at night.

She sees that her trading is profitable

The Proverbs 31 individual is confident and assured, viewing their work as being with and for God. With their whole life - personality, time, talent, influence, material substance, everything - dedicated to God, their confidence and self-assurance do not come from what they are capable of doing, but rather from recognizing their work as inherently good. For this reason, they carefully monitor all their work, ensuring their motivation is pure rather than out of selfishness.

Financially, the Proverbs 31 individual strives to live their life on a balanced budget. Being mindful not to spend beyond their means, they purchase quality items for their business and for their family without causing undue hardship. While they may experience setbacks along the way, they are not discouraged. During the lean times they make do with what they have or go without. With a little creativity, they’ve learned to create things with little or no value into something useful and of great value. Much like sea merchants who take many risks in pursuit of godly pearls, the Proverbs 31 individual is determined to forge ahead even in turbulent times as they know the ultimate reward is of great value and well worth the trouble.

Realizing this life choice requires perseverance and a great deal of hard work, the Proverbs 31 individual takes time to reflect on and feels a sense of pride in their many accomplishments. This sense of pride is not out of arrogance; rather, deep down they know they are good and it is this pride that encourages them to continue working hard. They are also very mindful to keep their egos in check as it is so easy to go astray. They do so by reminding themselves often that it is only through God's good grace that they've been able to accomplish so much with their life and are most appreciative of the gift He has provided.

As a result of this appreciation and from having performed good works for and through the Lord, the Proverbs 31 individual is at a great advantage when compared with their peers. They grow abundantly richer as their good work is garnered with much Wisdom - far more precious than fine gold or silver.

Her lamp does not go out at night

The lamp of the Proverbs 31 individual is always burning. Working diligently, they rise early in the morning and stay up until very late at night, never weary of doing good work. While at times, their spiritual prosperity may dampen, they are able to withstand even the darkest of times without ever extinguishing as they are rooted and grounded in God’s Word and Unconditional Love. 

The light illuminating the Proverbs 31 individual’s lamp is Jesus as He is the light of the world. The oil fueling that lamp is the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Proverbs 31 individual becomes the instrument through which Jesus’ light shines ever so brightly for all to see.

Remember ... touch a life today "The Little Way" by following the lead and need of others.  Also, if you ever thought to yourself, "I wish my community, knew...", then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.

~ Theresa