Career Advice from Solomon

All of us need good advice now and then. What if we could get it from the wisest person who ever lived? What if you could get career advice from King Solomon? Speaking to Solomon God promised, “I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you (1 Kings 3:12).” Solomon was a “wise guy” not the mob kind of wise guy, but an extremely successful king.

Here are four golden nuggets of advice from the writings of Solomon in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Take the advice and run with it. You will be blessed in your work.

Work when it’s time to work

It is written in Proverbs 6:6-11, “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler,  Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?  A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep—So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.”

The ant works when it is time to work—in the summer when the weather is favorable and food it plentiful. Like the ant we should work when it is time to work. Be self-motivated, industrious and diligent. The sluggard sleeps when he should be working. Proverbs 10:4 declares, “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.”

Seek good counsel

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, But in the multitude of counselors they are established.” Your multitude of counselors should be people with insight and experience. They should be people who are not only smart but who truly care about you. These counselors could be family members, friends/fellow Christians, co-workers, and your pastor. And remember the advice is only as good as the character and quality of the advisor.

Don’t rush into things

Proverbs 21:5 advises, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.” Being diligent doesn’t mean being rash. We want to make good decisions, not just quick ones. Doing something too quickly without knowing all the details can actually slow a project down because of unforeseen problems. Rushed, careless decisions can hurt you as much as laziness and sloth. But then again, on the other hand,

Jump in

We read in Ecclesiastes 11:4, “He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.” Sometimes you can be too cautious and miss the moment. There will always be unforeseen events and or troubles affecting your career or a project you are working on. Don’t always wait for everything to be perfect. Don’t procrastinate—jump in, “get ‘er done”, persist and move forward.

Finally, the one key to making all of this work well comes from another very wise man; the Lord Jesus Christ. His key piece of advice is about priorities. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things [that you need to live and work and be your best] shall be added to you (Matthew 6:33).” That is very good advice.