From the beginning of our lives, we have a
tendency to resist work that is laborious. We resist many challenges. We test
our parent’s limits as toddlers. Sadly, most do this again when in their teens
and rebel against their parents. And then again in their early twenties by
testing the law and “rules.” But when we listen to our parents and elders and
actually apply what they tell us, something happens. Yes, it is takes effort,
but we profit so much!
In all
labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
Prov 14:23
(KJV)
Whether you invest time in learning a
skill, studying hard, being faithful in the small things, entrepreneurship,
expirementing, or interning—you learn valuable skills. For a long time I have
held onto the Scriptural promise that all labor brings a profit, but the
greatest illustration I have yet had of this principle occurred when I was in
college. I was studying a great deal, but I was also running my own business
endeavors, writing books, and interning for others. I learned so much from my
actual work and very little in comparison from my study. There are many
skills that I know have as a result of those endeavors—administrative experience,
disciplined use of time under tight schedules, the ability to quickly create
and publish a paperback or ebook, how to design a book cover, how to build
websites, how to build a library categorized by subject, how to sell online,
how to conduct meetings and a volunteer staff, how to muck a barn, how to
coordinate activities and events with a greater level of professionalism, how
to get what you need to know out of a book quickly, managing a multitude of
tasks over the course of a few hours, troubleshooting computer issues,
purchasing quality products and produce, and building a document database—those
are just a few of the many skills I learned through internships, employment,
and entrepreneurial endeavors during my time in college.
