Not Your Position But Your Disposition

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.
–Proverbs 22:29

Success is not determined by our position but by our disposition–our attitude. Unsuccessful people think, “If only I had that position in the company or that title on the organizational chart, then I could be a success.” But successful people know that your success is not the title of your work; it is how you perform your work. That is what makes the difference between successful and unsuccessful people. There is no substitute for hard work. You can be incredibly intelligent and talented, but if you are not willing to put in the hours with a good attitude, then your success, if you achieve any, will be short-lived.

The wisest man who ever lived understood the relationship between diligence and success. Solomon said, “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men” (Proverbs 18:16) and “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men” (22:29). It is not your position–it is your disposition that determines whether you are a success.

Solomon said that a person who fails to exercise diligence in his work will one day fall into poverty, servitude, and discontent. He said, “Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (10:4). And even more painful than the sluggard’s circumstances will be the realization that his circumstances could have been different if he had been diligent in his labor.

Perhaps you are studying hard in school, but it seems like nobody notices. Other people get scholarships, but not you. Or maybe you are working for a company–you do your job with honesty and diligence, but other people keep getting promoted. God’s Word says that we all do our work for God alone. It should not matter whether we are recognized by anyone or not. He is the One we serve. But the fact is, more often than not, if you do your work with diligence and faithfulness and an attitude that honors God, you will rise to the top.

The purpose is not to turn you into a workaholic. Too much time at work can leave us with many regrets. But when you are on the job, are you giving your work your best efforts? Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Day Of Deliverance” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2009.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.