Solomon’s Principals PART 3
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). Today, we’ll delve deeper into the principles of Solomon’s wisdom, focusing on what I call business and personal life principles.
Let’s start, as we did last week, with a quick prayer:
Lord God, today we seek your guidance to open our eyes, hearts, minds, and whole beings to absorb your wisdom deeply. Help us align our bodies and souls with your will, allowing us to hear and understand exactly what you intend for us. We ask this in the name of your precious son.
Amen.
Alright then, let’s dive back in.
Solomon’s sixth principle emphasizes using debt sparingly. In business, cash reigns supreme, echoing Solomon’s wisdom: “Money answers everything” (Ecclesiastes 7:12). Maintaining a cash reserve or savings can alleviate significant stress.
Use debt judiciously for essential capital items, but avoid it for operating expenses such as salaries and routine costs. Otherwise, you risk becoming a servant to the lender, working on their terms rather than yours (Proverbs 22:7).
In personal finance, many of us tend to overextend ourselves with credit cards, although that might not be everyone’s experience.
However, we’ve certainly been there in the past, and we strive to prevent it from happening again.
If you find yourself in credit card debt, there are ways to get out of it, but it requires diligence, hard work, and prayer—all three are essential.
Solomon’s seventh principle emphasizes working cooperatively, as stated in Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Create strategic business alliances with others, enabling you to access reliable resources swiftly to meet client demands. Solomon exemplified this with King Hiram of Lebanon, resulting in mutual benefits that elevated Israel’s economic status and made Jerusalem a global showcase.
We can apply this principle in our personal lives through networking. You might have heard the saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” However, I believe it’s more about “who knows you” than who you know!
Let me illustrate this with a great example.
Suppose I’m seeking funding, and I mention that I know Elon Musk (the founder of Tesla, SpaceX, PayPal, etc.). It’s not untrue—I do know of him. In fact, I also know Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Tony Robbins, and others. I could even share some details about their backgrounds.
However, the truth is, they don’t know me!
So, if the people I’m seeking funding from approach Elon and ask, “What do you think of this Dan Greer guy? Is he any good?” Elon would likely respond, “Who? I’ve never heard of that person!”
The lesson here is that by building genuine relationships and consistently delivering more than we promise, we expand our network and strengthen our connections.
This brings us to his eighth principle:
Cultivate relationships with trusted professionals.
Proverbs 15:22 highlights the importance of seeking counsel: “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors, they are established.”
Recognize the value of acknowledging that you don’t have all the answers, especially when you’re unaware of what you don’t know. Build strong connections with legal, financial, IT, and other professionals you trust. Utilize these relationships effectively to anticipate and address potential problems proactively.
Another important aspect to keep in mind is to consistently adopt a servant mindset.
It’s common for us to overlook serving others before seeking their assistance. We often expect others to go above and beyond to make our lives easier without offering a helping hand to make theirs easier first.
The key is to initiate relationships by serving others genuinely. Additionally, always strive to exceed expectations. If you commit to something, follow through with action!
For instance, if you promise to pray for someone, involve your whole family in praying for them.
In today’s society, we need more individuals who underpromise and overdeliver. Strive to be that person in each of your relationships.
Let’s take action!
Today, we urge you to implement each principle you’ve learned into your personal life:
- Be Diligent and Work Hard: Put in the effort and dedication required for success.
- Work wisely: Opt for smart strategies over unnecessary toil.
- Pursue Excellence: Strive to excel in all endeavors, giving your best at all times.
- Work Proactively: Take initiative and avoid procrastination by jumping into tasks promptly.
- Be Honest—Always: Integrity is crucial, both in God’s eyes and in building trustworthy relationships.
- Use Debt Sparingly: Exercise financial prudence by minimizing reliance on borrowed funds.
- Work cooperatively: Collaboration with others is vital for growth and prosperity.
Lastly, always aim to overdeliver! If you commit to finding 10 new contacts, go the extra mile and secure 15 or even 20 new connections. Your dedication and commitment will set you apart and lead to greater success.
Enhance your faith-led leadership journey with God First Life Next. Explore empowering insights at “Solomon’s Principals Part 3“. Let faith guide your leadership. Click for purposeful living at GodFirstLifeNext.org.
