PERFORMING BELOW POTENTIAL?: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 22ND AUGUST 2018

MEMORISE:
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. Ecclesiastes 10:7

READ: Proverb 6:4-11
4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

MESSAGE:
The preacher’s observation in today’s memory verse is worthy of our reflection. It is indeed an interesting sight to see servants promoted to the level of riding on horses; of course, God is more than able to do this for those who love Him. However, it is an evil thing when princes are relegated to the position of walking on foot as servants. For those who profess to be God’s special people, such a situation is an anomaly and must be avoided. It is practically the same as performing below potential.

The pertinent question we should consider is how come those who should be served are now in servitude? Thankfully, our Bible reading does not only reveal the cause, it also reveals the cure.
Laziness is the root cause of performing below potential. Any prince caught in the web of laziness will not amount to anything in life. Instead, his or her inheritance will go to other hands that are diligent, because God’s principle set out in Proverbs 12:24 says:

 “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.”

Poverty sends people to the field of servitude, and this is inevitable for the indolent. There is the story of two friends who went to the oracle to know their future. The seer turned to one of them and said, “Hail, the future king!” on hearing these words, he went away and began to celebrate himself as the future king, even though he was still in rags. 

The seer turned to the other man and said, “You will die in abject poverty.” He was dejected, but determined in his heart that he would fight to be successful, and so he went into the jungle and began to farm. After many years, he became prosperous, having plenty goods with male and female servants. A famine came to the town where his friend was living, still waiting for his “kingdom” to come. 

While searching for food, citizens of this town discovered the hardworking man and his abundance of supplies. They begged him to become their king, promising to serve him in exchange for food to survive the famine. That was how a man who was supposed to die in penury became a king. While an expectant “future king” remained poor for the rest of his life.

In conclusion, please note that diligence itself is time bound. There is time for everything under heaven. When some things are done belatedly, their purpose ends up being defeated. Our Bible text teaches about the ant, which provides food in the summer and gathers what it needs in harvest. What you do today determines what becomes of you in future. The cure for poor performance is proper preparation. 

For example, if your ambition is to become just a messenger, you don’t need a university education for that. However, if you desire to become a captain of industry, more often than not, you will need more than elementary education to achieve this. A word is enough for the wise.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, Lift me up above mediocrity, and grant me the grace to pay the price of good success.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalm 45-50 Matthew 24:15-35

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 4:  TRUST AND OBEY.
1. When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

o Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3. Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4. But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5. Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.