Proverbs 13:11

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. (ESV)

There are two applications that come to mind in this passage. The first is the typical “get rich quick” idea. We have all heard of the lottery winner or the star athlete who signs a contract for millions of dollars. But a few short years later they are bankrupt or have very little of their instant wealth left. What they didn’t “win” was the wisdom and financial knowledge to appropriately manage large amounts of money.

The second application that comes to mind takes me back to my college days. In a typical classroom on exam day, probably over half the students had not spent enough time preparing for the test, and had to “cram” at the last minute. Instead of the “get rich quick”, they were depending on the “get educated quick” technique to pass the test. They were depending on memorization to get them a passing grade.

For some it worked, but for others, their memory failed them (and the test). And after a couple of weeks, they had forgotten most of what they memorized. Sounds familiar (maybe too familiar. :-))?

For those who did put in the time to prepare, they:

• Utilized their time better
• Exercised discipline
• Persevered to learn material and concepts that were harder to grasp
• Were able to help others studying for the test
• Generally performed better

The “little by little” approach also better prepared them to perform well in a post-college job in that field.

Overall, the “little by little” approach to life teaches us:

• Perseverance
• Time management
• Discipline
• Focus
• Patience
• To obtain a deeper level of knowledge and understanding

The application of these benefits leads to making wiser decisions in life.

Make a decision today to apply the “little by little” approach to life and get prepared to reap the long-term rewards.