Back in Biblical times, your wealth was generally measured by how big your herds and flocks were.  The more sheep and goats you had, the wealthier you were as both animals provided essentials for living.

Today, most of us don’t have sheep or goats.  But we do have what could be considered the modern equivalent.  And when we take a look at Proverbs 27, we get some great advice to how we can maximize our wealth while being good stewards of the blessings God has given us.

“Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations?

When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field.

There will be enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household and maintenance for your girls.”  Proverbs 27: 23 – 27 ESV

Knowing the State of Your Flocks

Back then, knowing the condition, or state, of your flocks was knowing how many sheep and goats you had.  Were they healthy?  Did they need water or food?  Only knowing how they were doing could you know how to meet their needs and encourage them to produce and multiply.

Today, it’s more about knowing what you have to offer.  It’s a bit twofold.  On the one hand, know your assets.  What condition are your business assets in?  Suppose you rely on equipment to get the job done, is your equipment maintained, or do you risk breaking down in the field?  Know your finances, your projects, and your relationships.

On the other hand, it’s all about knowing your audience too.  Your network is your net worth – are you in tune with what they need?  Is your messaging hitting just right?  Are you figuring out your goals before you create content?

Learn how your unique writing voice is an asset that you should know all about.

Attending to Your Herds

When you’re monitoring your flocks properly, and you know their condition, now you know how to attend to them.

Today, it’s all about managing in such a way that your assets continue to produce for you.  You have equipment you should maintain.  You might have employees to manage.  You may delegate to these employees, but you still need to ensure things are flowing the way they should.  All the while, it’s important not to neglect relationships you’ve built, so they can continue to support your work.

As a ghostwriter, I have to stay involved in the project, guide the process, and make sure that the final voice of the book is in line with what was originally determined to be the client’s vision.

Learn how clear writing supports business growth; being hands-on ensures your message stays clear.

Riches are Not Forever

Over time, landscapes change.  Grass stops growing, plants don’t produce, and water changes direction.  A good shepherd will know how to find new grazing grounds, understand weather patterns, and adjust his flocks so they continue to thrive.

In business, it’s a constantly evolving market.  Look back just a few years and see how Covid reshaped things quickly.  Businesses that knew how to pivot could stay afloat through this time; the ones that wanted things to stay the same often crashed and burned.

As a writer, I see the way people consume information has changed dramatically.  Now with AI, the way content is created has also changed dramatically.  Knowing what still requires a human touch, and which methods people use to consume the content is how I stay in business.

Learn how ancient wisdom helps you build a business of integrity.

Reap the Rewards of Diligence

Lambs and sheep provide wool that can be made into clothing.  Goats provide milk that nourishes you (back then they drank goat’s milk because it was more nutrient dense than cow’s milk).  In fact, when you work hard, you’ll have a surplus that can be used to care for your family and your girls – in this situation girls mean female servants; they are those that tended to household duties.

Obviously, in a business sense, carefully nurturing relationships, tending to finances, maintaining equipment, and so on brings in new jobs, more jobs, and ultimately more income.

As a writer, I can create something once, and then repurpose it often down the road.  I grow my library, and I can use past work to feed future opportunities (in other words, use my portfolio to show prospects what can be done).

Learn how you can repurpose your blog content into social media posts.

Are You Intentional with your Words?

Diligence brings security, whether that means in your business, managing your household, in your creative work, or something else entirely.

But you have to be intentional.  If you’re managing your finances, you should be intentional about where your money is going.  Some to savings, some to spend, some to essentials, and so on.  If you’re not intentional, years might go by and you haven’t invested anything for your future.

The same goes for your words.  Are you intentional about what you write on your website?  I wasn’t, and it kind of bit me in the ass.  I rank really well for things like outdoor adventures, but what I really want to rank for – how to write a book – is taking a lot of time because I wasn’t intentional about targeting those words for a long time.

Now that I know better, I can do better.

Are you struggling with repurposing content, writing content, or even interesting in flexing your expertise by writing a book?  Let’s have a free 30-minute strategy session, and see how we might work together.