Forethought

Proverbs 24:27 ESV

“Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.”

I know that this may seem like an obscure scripture for our day and time, but it is perfect wisdom. Solomon was saying, take care of the things that need to be taken care of for lasting benefits, before we settle in and establish a resting place as if those benefits had already materialized.

If an entrepreneur has a great idea and he or she gains the investments that he or she needs to facilitate those ideas, for the prudent to build a company, they let the idea materialize. They let it grow, make a profit and spend the money intelligently before taking the money for personal gain.

The tendency for the foolish, is to take that money, buy things that he or she always wanted, and not invest that money in facilitating the idea, but basically squandering the money. This is like the prodigal son, in Luke 15:11-32. He took his inheritance and squandered the money by living it up and he did not invest it so he would have money later on.

Having a forethought in anything in life should be our practice. Before picking a career, see what it takes to be successful in that career. If we get a job, what does it take to be successful at that job? 

If we want to have a family, do the work in dating people that are compatible, that share the same interests, the same goals, the same dreams. Don’t just jump in and hope everything turns out well.

I know that you do not play the lottery but two thirds of the people who win the lottery go broke because of poor planning.

Prayer:

Lord, make us aware of our actions. Give us insight and forethought in every situation.  Help us to make short-term goals and long-term goals. Lay out a path before us that we can be successful. What do we need to understand before we can think about relaxing and making a nest for ourselves? In Your name Lord, we seek Your wisdom.