Talkers and Doers - Proverbs 14:23

In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty.  Proverbs 14:23

Peter Lord said, "You DO what you actually believe, all the rest is merely religious talk.  This is a quote that I've read and remembered for years, because it keeps me away from the foolish practice of being all about the talk, but very little about actions that support what I say.

This proverb is not trying to get us to stop talking or speaking about the things of God.  What it is trying to do is to help us see that it is foolish to talk big, but act small.  Too often Christians have said very big things about how they would minister, or what needs to be done in our world - but they have not acted on their own passion to see things changed.  The Lord wants us to say things that are Scriptural - especially when those things radically impact our world with the gospel.  But when we DO nothing to see them come to pass, this is the height of arrogance and presumption. 

There is profit in labor - in working hard to see something done, something made, something come to pass.  But we need to be very careful that we are actually DOING something.  You can have amazing and incredible ideas in the business world - but eventually someone is going to have to put effort and time into see those wonderful ideas turn into actual products and services.  The business world is replete with men who dreamed big, but produced little.  The ones that blessed generations were those who took their talk and turned it into work and finished things. 

We are warned that mere talk leads to poverty.  Just talking about things will get you no where.  But some talk - and then they talk in bigger groups - then they hold summits on getting huge groups to talk.  But in the end they will all wind up in poverty - either in real goods or in a poverty of spirit because their actions never translated into deeds and effort.  There MUST BE WORK to succeed.  No work equals no success. 

The wise man not only talks - but works.  He takes the time to dream and to plan - but also is wise because he take the time spend talking and planning and puts it into a course of action which, when taken, will bless those who do so with very profitable outcomes.  Talk, dream, plan - but be wise enough to put those plans into demonstrable action.