Proverbs 13.10
“By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.”
Insolence — Hebrew zadon — means arrogance. It describes people who will not listen to advice, teaching, or correction. We saw the same word earlier in Proverbs: “When pride (zadon) comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11.2)
Zadon people — arrogant people — think they know better than anyone else. They are their own reference point. Arrogant people create tension, strife, and stress in relationships and organizations. They are difficult to talk to and almost impossible to work with. Because they are self-deceived, they lack self-awareness.
On the other side are those who are open to instruction and correction; people open to new ideas and different perspectives. These are humble people, and their humility gives them access to wisdom. Humble people are confident, but they aren’t arrogant. They are easy to talk to and a joy to work with. They have high confidence and low ego.
It is a core principle of the kingdom: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4.6)
“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant (zadon) one, declares the Lord God of hosts, for your day has come, the time when I will punish you. The arrogant (zadon) shall stumble and fall, with none to raise him up.” (Jeremiah 50:31-32)
Proverbs 13.11
“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”
The wrong way to accumulate wealth is by get-rich-quick schemes. Short-cuts and hacks are an attempt to avoid the work required. The right way is by diligent, methodical, skillful work.
Once again we see the emphasis on doing good work, and we are reminded of the Law of Perseverance. There is a way to do things. There is a process involved. Being productive means being disciplined and persistent about following the process. Success — whether financially or otherwise — is the result of the cumulative impact of disciplined behavior repeated over time.
To be consistently achieve, you must be relentless. You must be tenaciously persistent. Examine any significant achievement in human history, and you will find people, teams, and organizations who did what was necessary, when it was necessary, for as long as necessary. And they endured and overcame adversity along the way.
Wise people trust God and do the work.
