He who has a slack hand becomes poor...

Proverbs 10:4 – “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”

The percentage of American men aged 30-50 not working increased from 5% in 1960 to 15% in 2010. How do they survive? Mostly, mothers, wives, and girlfriends support them, along with some Social Security disability checks. What do they do? They watch TV, sleep, hang out, do a little househusband and under the table work, blame others for their condition, and play video games. The idle poor far outnumber the idle rich.

This proverb, however, is not about having no job, nor is it about other reasons for poverty, such as oppression, war, illness, natural disasters, and even Satan’s permitted malice (see Book of Job). It is about how one does a job, with a “slack hand” or with diligence.

A “slack hand” person works carelessly, sloppily, and, yes, a little deceitfully. Rather than striving to do excellent work, he regularly says, “Good enough.” The “good enough” worker lies to himself that all will be fine, but like the person with no job, he too is headed toward poverty. A house painter paints windows shut on a job, and then can’t figure out why business opportunities disappear. The office worker shaves minutes off the start and end of her day and wonders why no promotion comes her way “after years of faithful service.” The contractor chats with the homeowner for 45 minutes, 15 minutes with the guy at Home Depot, stops for coffee and donuts on his way to work, and then can’t understand why jobs always take longer than he expects. People who work with a “slack hand” usually choose to be culpably ignorant about why they do not “get ahead.” This proverb tells them to look honestly at the quality of their work.

What does the hand of the diligent accomplish? It makes rich. Diligence does not mean being a workaholic, finding meaning only in one’s work. It means doing work promptly and well, reliably, completely, and honestly. For the diligent, the word “excellence” is not a buzzword without content. Excellence is the passion of the diligent, and “do it right” is his slogan rather than “good enough.” Diligence does not always produce wealth, but it usually supplies our needs, with something left over for others (Ephesians 4:28). In a world distorted by sin, and cursed with weeds that complicate work, the diligent still tend towards wealth, while careless, slack-handed workers tend towards poverty. That general law is God’s “feedback loop” to push people towards work in His world, to “subdue it (Genesis 1:28),” even as they care for the earth and replenish it with children.

Dr. Bill Edgar, Geneva College Board of Trustees Member, Former Geneva College President and longtime pastor in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA)

Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.

Apr 2, 2018

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