The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.  – Proverbs 14:35, KJV

Do you want the favor of the person in authority over you? Then act wisely. Or, would you rather incur the anger of the person in authority over you? Then act shamefully.

What does it mean to act wisely? The Hebrew word for “wise” in Proverbs 14:35 is “sakal,” which means:*

1. To be circumspect (thinking carefully about possible risks before doing or saying something) and, hence, intelligent.
2. To be skillful in what you do.
3. To be able to instruct/teach others.
4. To have understanding.
5. To behave oneself.

In short, acting wisely in your work (whether for pay or as a volunteer) means knowing what your job is, doing your job well, and completing your job in a timely manner. When you do your job well and on time, you will bring great pleasure to those for whom you work, and they, in turn, will reward you with their favor.

In contrast, a servant who acts shamefully is one who does a slow, poor job. The Hebrew word for “shame” in Proverbs 14:35 is “buwsh,” which means:*

1. To pale, that is, by implication, to be ashamed.
2. Also (by implication) to be disappointed or delayed.
3. To confound (surprise and confuse), delay, be long.

In short, acting shamefully includes not knowing your job, not doing it well, and not doing it in a timely fashion. When you do your job poorly and with constant delays, you cause shame for yourself and for the people relying on you. Before long, the constant shame you bring will make those in authority over you disappointed and, perhaps, angry, even to the point of causing them to fire you from your job or volunteer position.

Sometimes your inability to perform will result from your being in a position for which you lack the necessary skills and training. But, more often than not, your inability to perform will be tied to your character, not your competency. Most people who bring shame to those they serve do so because they are lazy. They choose not to do their jobs well or on time, instead choosing to do just enough to get by. Such an attitude will lead to shoddy work and missed deadlines, bringing shame to your supervisors and trouble to yourself. If you want to excel in life, heed God’s constant call to diligence in the Bible (Examples: Proverbs 10:4, Proverbs 12:24, and Hebrews 11:6) . Sooner or later, you will reap His blessings if you sow His excellence in all that you do.

* Definitions from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance iPhone app.