Proddatur (LGBT-GR-TYP-BIN)
(Source: www.timcasteel.com)
Wisdom Is Profitable To Direct
‘Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4′
Wisdom includes leveraging our efforts to accomplish much more than what one person can do. This proverb teaches the important lesson. God inspired King Solomon to write about economics, finance, and investments. God wants you to work smart to get ahead.
In his book of philosophy, he wrote, “If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct” (Eccl 10:10). Wisdom includes working smart, like using a file to sharpen an axe, so we can cut down a tree faster than others, who foolishly continue to beat against the tree with a dull blade.
Oxen are large bovine animals God created for the service of man. Today, when domesticated, men generally call them cattle. Specifically, they are castrated bulls that have reached full maturity and strength. (Bulls do not submit well to handling, yokes, and plowing!) They may easily weigh one ton and have enormous strength for pulling.
A crib is a barred storage apparatus where corn and other grain products are kept for feeding cattle and other farm animals. From this usage men have adapted the word to mean the barred small bed for children, which has a similar appearance. A cattle crib is similar to the manger in which our Lord and Saviour was placed after birth (Luke 2:7).
Saving and investing are pillars of a capitalistic and prosperous economy. To buy an ox, a farmer denies himself short-term pleasures to accumulate the needed funds: this is saving. Then he must spend those saved funds for an ox that eats much feed every day and is expensive to maintain: this is investing. Wisdom loves saving and investing.
By saving some of his own production, the farmer created capital; by investing it in better means of production, he has converted his capital to income-producing assets. Invested capital will bring wealth, which creates more capital and investment, which leads to even greater wealth. Much increase is by the strength of the ox! God created the means of production – the ox – that wisely used will produce far more than it consumes. God also gave the wisdom to use the ox.
Both the ox and the wisdom to use the ox come from God. In fact, even the knowledge of how to plant, harvest, and process various grains comes from Him (Is 28:23-29). Do you grasp this precious truth – even basic farming wisdom comes from God? It was not learned by trial and error (or the first generation would have died before they learned it).
Where do witty inventions come from? They are God’s blessing, and they result from wisdom (Pr 8:12). God puts exceptional abilities in the hearts of some men, and He stirs those men up to use their creative genius to make tools that men marvel about and use to leverage their efforts. Are we thankful to God for the labor-saving devices we use every day? He will judge unthankfulness (Rom 1:21-22).
Here is economic wisdom, and Solomon taught it 3000 years ago! Summarize the lesson, and bless the Lord! The ox, the economic wisdom to use the ox, agricultural wisdom, and witty inventions are all from the Lord! Give God the glory!
Are we saving and investing as wisely as we should? Are we obeying this proverb in our life? Do we own any means of production? Do we have any income-producing assets? Are we accumulating funds – capital – to invest in such things? If we spend everything we earn, we are foolish. we need to learn the lesson.
Are we taking care of our ox – the watcher of our soul? Do we pray for him daily? If we take care of him and pray for him, he can help leverage our desire for God’s word.
(Source: PIB/GR/TYP/BIN/USPA/WN)