We have to bring this terminology into the modern world, but the concepts will all remain the same.

What Are Diligent Hands?

In Biblical times, the majority of people worked manual labor.  They worked with their hands.  In this context, the diligent hands are those that were hard workers.  Instead of doing the minimum, slacking off, or otherwise shirking duties, the diligent hands would work hard.

Notice that this verse doesn’t say the skilled hands.  It’s not the talented hands, nor the trained hands.  It’s the diligent hands, the ones that put in the hard work, they don’t slack, and they are persistent.

What does it Mean to Rule?

If we take this at face value in 21^st century vernacular, it’s tempting to say that the diligent hand is going to become king.  However, that’s not what is being said here.  Instead, taken in context, we see that “rule” means to rise above.

In the context of earning a promotion, to rule can mean to have authority over a group of people.  If you’re promoted to a management position, you are put in a position of authority to “rule” over the other employees.

What is Laziness?

When we think of laziness, we usually picture some big fat guy, dirty shirt, stuffing Cheetos into his mouth while watching TV in a dumpy little apartment.  That’s one idea, however, most laziness is not quite so blatant.

The Bible often talks about the folly of the lazy person.  The slothful person.  It’s the worker that’s easily distracted, takes shortcuts, ducks out early and comes in late.  It’s a person who really doesn’t want to work hard, and will do anything possible to avoid work.  Lazy, in this sense, could mean a very fit athletic person who wants to shirk their work duties so they can participate in various sports and hobbies – certainly not a fat slob who doesn’t do anything at all.

What is Forced Labor?

Our terminology would interpret this as a slave.  Someone literally forced to work under the threat of punishment.  In the modern world, we don’t have that… right?  We do, we just disguise it better.

Every one of us is forced to work, or we don’t have any money.  No money means we can’t pay for food, we can’t pay for housing, and we certainly can’t pay for luxuries.  We’re forced to work.  The lazy person slogs away at the same menial job and never gets ahead.  No room for savings, no room for investing, only work until death.  Okay, maybe that’s extreme, but you get the idea.

How You can be Diligent and Earn a Promotion

If you’re self-employed, your promotion is being able to charge more for your work.  Or taking on more work.  Or finding more clients and expanding the business.  No matter how you look at it, a higher income usually means that life is a bit easier (money is not the root of all evil, the love of money is).  So, how can you be diligent and find that extra cash?

By putting in the work.  Don’t skimp out on duties.  Put in the hours, be persistent, and be diligent knowing that when you work hard, the rewards will come.  You can even claim the promise that God makes just a few verses later saying, “Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.” Proverbs 12:27 ESV

One of the ways to be diligent is to be a published author.  Long ago, you could have a high school diploma and that was enough to land you a good job with benefits.  Eventually, that was commonly held, and you needed a bachelor’s degree to stand out.  Then, a Master’s was the way to rise above.  Today, being a published author can give you yet another nudge that will push you into the next level.

Let’s talk about how you can flex your expertise as a published author.  Book a free discovery call today.