Proverbs 12:24 (NKJV) — 24 The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.

The diligent rule; the lazy serve. In general, people rise to positions of authority through diligence; they sink into servanthood through laziness. Those who are lazy tend to explain away the manner in which people in authority rose to their positions. They attribute it to luck or favoritism. The lazy also tend to resent those who are over them and to detest having to answer to others.

To ancient Israel, Moses declared, “And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them” (Deuteronomy 28:13). Asaph asserted, “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another” (Psalm 75:6-7).

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