n 1 Samuel 13:19-21, you find Saul and the Israelites getting ready to go to war with the Philistines and are in need of weaponry.
‘19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” 20 But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; 21 and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads.
Notice verse 20 says, ‘But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle.’ Why at a time when they were in dire need to sharpen their weapons, were they at the mercy of their enemies? Because someone wasn’t doing what they were created to do - which was to be in business. What do I mean by that?
There are several business opportunities listed in verses 20 and 21. Take a moment and count how many you see. If you counted five, you’re close! If you saw six, you’re correct! I’ll list them here:
1. Plowshare Sharpening
2. Mattock Sharpening
3. Fork Sharpening
4. Ax Sharpening
5. Goad Point Setting
6. An intergraded Sharpening and Goad Setting service provider
There were at least 6 people amongst the children of Israel who were supposed to be operating each. God had given at least 6 people the leadership skills, talent, and entrepreneurial ability and idea to start each of the aforementioned businesses. But why didn’t they? That answer can be found in Matthew 25:14-30. Here we find ‘…a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability…’ When you read further, you discover that the first two servants took their talents and started their own small businesses; while the third did what so many of us do, and that’s hide. We hide our gifts, talents, and ideas by continuing to work on dead-end jobs while being distracted after work by social media. We give 40 hours of our lives each week to help another be successful and profitable at the talent they chose to use; while we ignore ours.
There were at least 6 people among the children of Israel who were given God inspired ideas about how to use their sharpening and goad setting talents to start profitable businesses. But instead chose to hide, procrastinate, and ignore them; which resulted in their enemies, the Philistines, providing services they themselves would soon need. And as a result, their enemies became financial giants who were now able to overcharge for services they should have never been providing. God has given some of us God ideas; in that they’re so big it seems impossible. Some of those ideas involve going into business and becoming competitors to the likes of Amazon®, Sony®, or Mattel®. Others simply involve us doing what we love to do and getting paid to do it. Whatever your sharpening talent business of an idea is, get to it. And what better way and what better time than to start right now….
Pray this with me: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for hiding, procrastinating and ignoring the talents and ideas You’ve given me about going into business. Lord, please give me an exit strategy from my job so that I can do it full-time for You. In Jesus’ name. If you need a YouTube Informational Video to help you promote it, check out our services @ stacisweetandco.blogspot.com or email me @ stacisweetandco@live.com! Here's a few of my satisfied clients. https://youtu.be/cIszzmU5srU
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