The list of the richest in the world is headed by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet. Imagine being ten times richer than these two combined. Impossible? Not at all!

There are plenty of books on Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to find out how they made their fortunes. All you have to do is create the next critical component of everyone’s life, or absolutely invest in the right thing at the right time. The background and phenomenal success of these businessmen is inspiring, but how can we apply this to our own lives? Yet there is another whose wealth utterly dwarfs that of today’s richest people, if accounts of his wealth are accurate. King Solomon’s wealth would exceed $1 trillion today!

The secret of King Solomon? At just 12 years old, he ascended the throne of Israel when God appeared to him and granted him a wish. Solomon did not ask for riches and honor, he asked for wisdom. Concerned that he was young and inexperienced, Solomon asked God for something that would help him rule the people effectively and judiciously. Because Solomon asked for wisdom (or a ‘Hearing Heart’) and did not ask for riches or honor, God also blessed him with riches.

Solomon was bestowed with riches and honors far greater than any king before or after him. His wise counsel was sought by the rulers of the nations. His success and wealth increased beyond even his vivid imagination. His gold reserves are the subject of legend, his immense palace. He wrote the Proverbs in the Bible that not only survive, but his writings on wisdom, understanding and diligence remain a worldwide influence after three thousand years.

So what can we learn from Solomon about diligence and understanding?

He who cultivates his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows useless people and occupations will have enough poverty. (Proverbs 28:19 – Expanded)

Browse the Internet and you’ll soon find people who guarantee you instant riches with little or no work. Follow such get-rich-quick schemes and you will show your naivete and ignorance. Solomon warns against following worthless people who lead to poverty: those who work hard will reap the rewards of their efforts.

The appetite of the lazy craves and gets nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is abundantly satisfied. (Proverbs 13:4 – Expanded)

Those whose desire is high, but their diligence to work is low, are left unsatisfied. Having a big dream is one thing, now put in the necessary effort to achieve it.

The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy will be put to hard labor. (Proverbs 12:24 – Expanded)

Lazy or slothful people have their time and effort dictated by others. Banks and credit card companies, more often than not these days, are the rulers of the lazy with their money. Instead of choosing how to enjoy our disposable income, we are forced to sue it to pay off the debts of living past us before.

But I have worked hard, very hard! I spend more hours than anyone. I just haven’t had the breaks I need. It’s not my lack of diligence, it’s the economy, the government, the system, the market, the competition… (choose one or several). Yes, but what is all this for?

define your dream

Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18 – NIV).

Without a vision or a dream, we have no direction. We lose the motivation to do much at all, we are not committed to anything. Our joy disappears and our energy is wasted. But bring your dream forward in clear vision and the opposite is true. You will find the spark that ignites the fuel to launch you towards your dream.

Wake up and smell the coffee.

How long will you sleep, oh lazy? When will you wake up from your dream?…poverty will come like a thief or like a traveler [with slowly but surely approaching steps] and you love like an armed man [making you helpless] (Proverbs 9.11 – Expanded).

The real enemies of procrastination and excuses are the wasted hours that lead to empty days, inactive weeks, meaningless months, and years of unproductive work. Meaningless activities that bear no fruit and a life of regret and unfulfilled dreams.

What I need is time management! Time is relative, but it is simply not within your powers to manage it. Give your sleep a fighting chance and get out of the meat.

associate with others

A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment (Proverbs 18:1-NIV)

A wise leader develops a team of talented people around them and a network of friends and partners who support them so that they become rich in social capital. When we isolate ourselves, we cut off all that important support. Have you ever met a rich, successful, accomplished person who was completely isolated and did it all alone? I do not believe it.

Solomon was the richest man who ever lived, but his true wealth was in his godly wisdom. We can all learn from this, and while we may not like the advice, you know that living a life of purpose and godly diligence will satisfy you.

Copyright (c) 2008 John Kenworthy