Proverbs 23:4Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.Proverbs Daily is a reader-supported publication. All posts are free, but all donations help spread the message. When you see the word upgrade, you're simply invited to help me make the sacred positively contagious...thank you in advance for becoming a free or paid subscriber.Are we hustling ourselves to death?Notice—I didn’t say working.... I understand hard work. I value it. But I’m talking about the hustle— that constant exchange of our attention, our energy, and often our very essence… in exchange for what?Maybe something worse.If we’re investing our all, is the return a mutated, less optimal version of ourselves?Phones constantly in hand. Minds tethered to content, which is linked to algorithms, which is attached to outrage, also conveniently connected to our jobs, and our need to be seen and be heard…and so on and so forth You know, the more we’re attached, the harder it becomes to detach—and retrieve what’s been lost.In ministry, the danger runs even deeper. You can’t say you’re tired. Or empty. Say that—and you risk losing influence, followers, shares, likes.It’s the Hustle. And we’ve been convinced it’s good—until it’s not. Yea, hustle can easily become self-harm.You can chase something so hard that you forget who you are. You can grind so long, you find yourself ground all the way down.So if the hustle is wearing you out right now: Proverbs 23:4 has some good advice:"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint."The Hebrew phrase for “wear yourself out” is תִּיגַע (ya·ga)—It means exhaustion. Depletion. That soul-deep fatigue not born of purpose, but compulsion.This verse comes with this warning: Stop trusting your own wisdom about this. Because fear disguised as ambition can make you sell out your soul in endless installments.Every dollar you chase costs you something. And often, what you’re spending… is you.I feel it, you feel it, we all feel—because it's a system problem. A modern-day “bricks without straw” problem. Just like the Hebrews under Pharaoh, we’re being asked to produce more with less. And if you speak up? You're targeted.But the God who showed up for them, He still shows up now— And He’s always on the side of the marginalized. Breaking oppressive systems built on greed and the grinding, at the cost of human exhaustion.Now understand this: Wealth isn’t the enemy. Obsession is. God wants you to have things— but not at the cost of your peace, your relationships, your self.And this warning shows up everywhere:* In Greek mythology? It’s Midas. Everything he touches turns to gold. But what’s the cost? His food. His daughter. His joy. He gains the world—and loses his life.* In Indigenous folklore? The Windigo. Once human. Now a beast. Consumed by hunger. Devoured by greed. His desire for more erases his identity.* In Buddhist teaching? Lobha. Greed—one of the three poisons of the soul. The more you cling to possessions, the more they cling to you.* In Islamic wisdom? Dunya. The obsession with worldly life—that slowly erodes the “real self” until only shadow remains.* But what touches me the deepest is Jesus’ depiction of the Rich Fool.Building bigger barns, stacking riches, while his soul’s clock runs out.In every story, the danger isn’t what you gain— It’s what you lose in the process.Bottom Line:Your soul has a value that hustle can’t match. So don’t wear yourself out building a life that costs you you.PrayerKeep me wise, grounded, and faithful to my real self.Today’s ChallengeTake an audit of your hustle. What are you chasing—and is it chasing you back? Reclaim one thing today that reminds you who you really are. Then make space for that.About the AuthorFred Lynch is a creative communicator, author, and Christian Hip Hop pioneer. To learn more about Fred and what he’s up to now…click here or you can find him in all the socials by searching the handle: heyfredlynch📱Experience Proverbs Daily by Subscribing!Ready to receive daily wisdom directly on your phone?Go to proverbsdaily.org for the app or just click that Subscribe button right now!Be Wise and Be Well...peace.Thanks for reading Proverbs Daily! This post is public so feel free to share it.
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