December 31
PROVERBS 24
27 Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
28 Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for what he has done.”
– Proverbs 24:27-29
PROVERBS 24 ON PLANNING AND PREPARING
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you start something, make sure that you have a plan
Where there is no vision, a man’s life will fall
Whatever you do, prepare for it but be resilient
Have foresight and rely also on God’s providence
Humbly consult wise counsel for a wider perspective
Do not just insist on your own way; be open and creative.
In verse 27, Solomon advises us to plan and prepare for work and getting everything ready for building a house. But this isn’t just applicable to building a house. It is useful for us to plan and prepare for anything we want to work on. It could be a relationship, a project, a new stage in life, and many more.
The wise person plans and calculates the work and the cost that is needed to accomplish a project. In Luke 14:8-30 he explains the importance of this planning and preparation aspect of any work. He says “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’” The fool will just do something without preparation and vision. No wonder he doesn’t move forward or succeed in anything he ventures into. If we manage our resources and time and commit our plans to the Lord, he will establish our vision and plans.
REFLECTION
• Why is planning and preparation essential in succeeding in anything one does?
