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Proverbs 19:3 When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the Lord.
Insight: It’s quite simple to get wrapped up in our own world. We set plans and have dreams and love the idea of accomplishing these aspirations one day. We’ve all done it- if not creating plans we at least dream about our future. The verse above is a call to humble our hearts within these dreams. Rather than being so set in our ways, we must submit them to the Lord. For example, little kids get into some foolish circumstances. They see their favorite superhero in a movie jump from a tall building, so they crawl on top of the kitchen table, tighten a blanket around their shoulders like a cape, and jump into what for them is the “unknown”. Soon they cry from hitting the ground and realize that it was a bad idea. Like this, we allow our foolishness to guide our actions. As the old saying goes, we “follow our hearts.” Yet the truth is, we must follow something (or rather Someone) bigger than our hearts.
The second part of this verse says that when our foolishness leads to disaster, we blame the Lord. When we make plans to start a business without talking to God about it, and it ultimately fails, who do we get mad at? It’s easy to place the blame on Him. Especially when you are placing the blame on an “unseen” God. This is a scary place to be in because, yes, while God is “unseen”, he is very real; and very powerful. God wants to be included in our plans to guide us to the right ones! Let us align our goals with His and our dreams with His- they will fail if we don’t include our Maker in them. My challenge for you today is to ask God what His plans for your life are, rather than asking Him to bless the ones you’ve already laid out.
Work Application: Like many verses in the Bible, this one applies to multiple aspects of our lives. One of those is the workplace. Foolishness may carry itself among multiple employees, or it may sit in the heart and mind of one. Either way, it can cause many disruptions in a company. As an employee, one might think that the company should run a different way than how it’s run. They may become prideful and show disrespect to their boss and/or coworkers. Rather than simply letting management know about their concerns, they may take matters into their own hands and end up harming their position, or worse, losing it. This also applies to those in charge. A company isn’t cohesive if management doesn’t reach out to their customers and employees for feedback. There must be humility in every aspect of a business, showing respect and listening to suggestions.
As Christians in the workplace, this should come more naturally to us, yet it often does not. Sometimes rather than sticking up for what is right, it can be simpler to go with the crowd. We should do the exact opposite! We are called to be lights in this world and in our communities. Developing a sense of loyalty not only to our boss but also to the Lord may take time. It takes bringing your feet to the door and asking your boss how you could do better. Let our hearts not rage against the Lord for our position in life, but let us thank Him for guiding our footsteps to the place of humility.
Gratitude: I am grateful that God provides me with His Spirit, and that can guide my decisions. I thank the Lord for His grace as well when I make foolish decisions and His strength to bring me back to His plans for my life.
If you would like to learn more about Sarah and other professionals’ journeys, along with tips for success as a young person in the workplace, purchase a copy of our book, From Illusion to Reality or download the author’s top ten tips for FREE and follow us on our Instagram https://www.instagram.com/illusion2realitybook/ !
Contributor: Alexis Anderson is an intern as a brand development managing editor at TSE Worldwide Press. She is a senior at Biola University, studying English with an emphasis in writing, along with a minor in Biblical Studies. Alexis aims to inspire others through her words and character.