My Favorite Bible Verses

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I returned and saw under the sun that—

The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;

But time and chance happen to them all. 

Ecclesiastes 9:11 NKJV

Sometimes, the seemingly weaker person wins the trophy. 

In the famous tale of the Hare and the Tortoise, this truth is the "moral of the story." Because of his physiology, the tortoise is clumsier. He cannot match the rabbit's speed or any other four-footed animal. The hare was arrogant and stopped to rest for too long a time while the tortoise just kept plodding along, eventually to the finish line ahead of the hare. 

History gives us many examples of battles won by a smaller group pitted against the might of a large army. Gideon and David's Mighty Men are just a few examples in the Old Testament of how God brought the weaker to victory against a foe that seemed invincible.

I have also heard of people who get so wrapped up in their studies or pursuit of knowledge, that they forget to eat or chow down whatever is handy, giving no forethought to meal planning. The smarter approach to life is to regularly eat healthy meals.

Most often, a perceptive person, who understands the value of money and uses his possessions to honor God, will fare better than a wealthy man who simply stores up his earnings, only planning for a future that may never come. 

Knowledge itself will not make a man wealthy without applying that knowledge, using his heart, hands, and feet in everyday work. The person who sits reading all day and does nothing may find the only thing tipping upward is his weight. 

Skills learned and not applied will be unproductive.

Not every talented actor is hired for a movie or television show. Not every writer's worth is recognized. 

Time and chance are success factors. Many famous actors state, "I'm lucky to be doing the thing I love to do." For the believer, however, success is more about God's timing as we surrender our gifts, knowledge, finances, and daily life to the Lord. In the final finish of life, he will assure our victory regardless of a temporal lack.

What do you think? Feel free to comment below. There are no wrong answers.