Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house”
Proverbs 24:27
One of the proverbs that has greatly blessed my life is Proverbs 24:27. This verse emphasizes the importance of planning and prioritizing tasks by using the metaphor of agricultural and construction work to convey a practical life lesson. It is one of the Bible verses that reveals the secret to a bright future. Since I discovered it, I have used it to encourage many, as it addresses a crucial aspect of our lives.
Before I continue, I want to acknowledge that some may not agree with the wisdom the Lord is sharing in this article, and that’s okay. However, anyone who embraces the wisdom the Lord is teaching here will be laying a solid foundation for a bright future.
The lessons to be learned from this proverb are numerous and vital. Here, the Lord is encouraging us to put our outdoor work in order and get the fields ready, which means taking care of essential tasks such as your destiny, career, or business and preparing the foundational work before moving on to more personal or less urgent projects. In other words, the Lord is saying to build your life before focusing on other projects such as marriage, houses, vacations, and the like because your life is what ensures the sustainability of other projects. Why is this so? The resources you need to accomplish almost all projects in life will come with ease after building your life. So, you must invest in your life before investing in anything else, otherwise, you may run out of resources and expose yourself to shame and reproach.
It’s important to understand that we live in a world where people may not appreciate the effort you put into building your life when there are no physical results as proof of your hard work. Someone living a fake life but demonstrating results will often earn more respect from others than someone who is laying a solid foundation for a bright future. If care is not taken, you may become discouraged by negative comments and decide to focus on getting immediate results, which may lead to settling for less. However, the Bible tells us that focusing on building your life first is more important than any projects you may want to point to in life.
Listen, even when it seems like nothing is working, focus on building capacity by investing in yourself. Acquire relevant knowledge, pursue education where necessary, and grow spiritually. This is the only way to enhance your self-worth and rise above limitations. You might appear foolish initially, but your progress will become evident to all in the long run. Those who try to impress others by undertaking tasks beyond their capabilities often end up regretting their actions.
When I moved to the United States, a brother of mine called me and said, “You need to start sending money home so that we can help you build a house back home.” He cited a few people who had completed their building projects within a few years of arriving in the United States. At that time, the Lord had not fully opened my eyes to Proverbs 24:27, but I understood the importance of focusing on building one’s life before embarking on other projects. My response was simple: “Let me focus on building my life right now.” Honestly, many of my people thought I didn’t know what I was doing because they couldn’t see immediate results, but by the grace of God, I remained steadfast. Years later, they came to understand that it is better to focus on building one’s life first before anything else.
Building your life before anything else is essential because your life forms the foundation for everything you do, including the material possessions you acquire. A well-built life involves establishing strong values, setting clear goals, developing financial stability, and nurturing relationships. When your life is stable and purposeful, the house you build becomes more than just a structure—it becomes a home that reflects your achievements, values, and the life you’ve cultivated. Without a solid foundation in life, a house can become a burden rather than a blessing. Prioritizing life-building ensures that when the time comes to build a house, you’re ready to create a space that truly enhances your well-being and reflects your journey.
As a businessperson, God is encouraging you to ensure your business is firmly established and capable of withstanding challenges before investing in other areas. If the business is not solidly grounded and resources are diverted elsewhere, it may risk failure. As a career professional, make sure you are fully established in your field and have developed enough capacity to handle challenges before shifting your focus to other endeavors. As a minister of God, ensure you are divinely empowered and equipped with the knowledge to properly feed and serve the souls entrusted to your care before prioritizing membership growth. Church growth is a natural result of your spiritual and personal development. God desires to see that you have the capacity to manage the growth you seek, so focus on your own growth to enable the work in your hands to flourish.
One of the lessons from Proverbs 24:27 is the concept of focused energy. Don’t forget that it takes energy to prepare the outside work and to build a house, but if you divide your attention between the two projects without having built enough capacity, chances are that you may not succeed in either. That’s why Jim Elliott advised, “Wherever you are, be all there.”
Many talented individuals struggle to excel in life because they are unstable. They are neither here nor there, and the fact remains: until you focus your energy on developing your talent, you will remain mediocre. Dr. John C. Maxwell observed, “Having talent without focus is like being an octopus on roller skates. You can be sure that there will be plenty of movement, but you won’t know in what direction it will be. Talent with focus directs you and has the potential to take you far.”
God is interested in you excelling in your endeavors by concentrating your energy on building capacity in your field. The days ahead are full of challenges, but you can overcome them by building capacity now. Invest your time and resources in developing yourself so that other projects in life can be executed more easily. This is also why the Apostle Paul says, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15-16).
To live a life focused on building capacity, kindly take note of the following:
- Never Try to Impress Others: Living your life to impress others is the beginning of sorrow because the more you try to impress, the more you feel the need to continue doing so. In reality, the people who truly care about you never expect you to impress them. They are willing to accept you as you are and provide the necessary support to help you reach your goals. The danger of trying to impress others is the tendency to live a fake life. Will Rogers observed, “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.”
When you live to impress others, you lose the dedication needed to become who God truly wants you to be. More than likely, your pursuits will be contrary to God’s desires for you. This is why you must constantly remind yourself that you are not on earth to impress others but to fulfill your destiny.
- Ensure You Have Clear Goals: Having unclear goals is a recipe for failure. Why? Without clear, well-defined goals, it’s difficult to maintain focus. When people don’t know what they want to achieve, they can easily become distracted or directionless. The Lord has given you the power to bring something out of nothing, but that cannot happen without setting goals. American author, coach, and speaker Tony Robbins once said, “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
- Cultivate Discipline: Building capacity requires discipline, including the ability to prioritize tasks, manage time effectively, and resist temptations. Without discipline, it’s easy to drift away from what truly matters. Dr. John C. Maxwell observed, “Small disciplines repeated consistently every day lead to great achievements.”
- Deal with Procrastination: Delaying tasks often leads to a lack of focus. When people procrastinate, they may find themselves rushing at the last minute or unable to concentrate fully on what needs to be done.
- Manage Time Effectively: Failing to manage time well can lead to a scattered approach to life. Without a structured schedule or plan, it’s easy to lose track of what needs to be done.
- Avoid Negative Influences: Surrounding yourself with negative people or influences can undermine your focus. Such negativity can instill doubt, distract you from your goals, and erode your motivation. If you are determined to fulfill your destiny, it is crucial to prayerfully remove these negative influences from your life.
In conclusion, building your life before focusing on constructing a house or pursuing other less critical projects is crucial because it ensures a solid foundation—emotionally, financially, and spiritually—on which to create a meaningful and fulfilling existence. A house is more than just walls and a roof; it reflects the life you’ve established. When you prioritize personal growth, financial stability, and strong relationships, your house becomes a true home, filled with purpose and joy. Ultimately, a well-built life paves the way for a house that enhances your overall well-being and supports your long-term goals. However, if you have the opportunity or if the Lord has blessed you with the resources to build both your life and other projects concurrently, you may do so gracefully. If not, wisdom dictates that you focus on building your life first.
No Comments