The Middle Ground: The Best Status In Life

The wisest of all men, Solomon, recommends that the best in life is to stay on the middle ground, Solomon said:

“Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise - why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool - why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes” (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 NIV).

We must have noticed that when the weather is extremely cold or extremely hot, it is not good. I had the opportunity to be in Chicago, U.S.A. from September to December in 2007. It was a snowy weather that the trees and the grasses are covered with snow. It was extremely cold, specially to Filipinos like me. On the other hand, I had also the opportunity to be in Sydney, Australia one December in 1997. It was extremely hot! We have to run inside the building where there is airconditioning. I remember in April 1988, I was a delegate to the Foursquare Gospel Church International Convention. It was springtime in California, U.S.A. It was neither cold nor hot. I enjoyed my vacation with my wife.

Experience is the best teacher. I said to myself, “there is no place better than my beloved Philippines where I was born,” where it is neither very hot nor very cold. In such kind of weather, it is much easier to survive and less expensive and less tiresome to live in comfort.

In Proverbs 30:7-9 (NIV), the Bible says:

“⁷Two things I ask of you. O Lord; do not refuse me before I die;

⁸Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

⁹Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘who is the LORD?’ or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

What did the great Apostle Paul say?

“But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Tim 6:8 NIV).

The Apostle is right. To me, the best stature in life is neither very rich nor very poor.

The LORD Jesus Christ is our best example. In those days, there were no Mercedes Benz or Rolls Royce or Toyota or Mitsubishi cars. They had only Camels which could be the equivalent of Mercedes Benz or Rolls Royce of today. But what ride did Jesus Christ select? He selected a donkey which could be the equivalent of our small cars of today. Small cars are very much less expensive in gas and in tires. It is much easier to find a parking place; they are means of transport for men of humility. It is godly and always good to be humble. The Lord Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:12 NIV). 

The Key To Success In Life

With the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible says, “… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). God, speaking through King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, said: “Do you see a man diligent in his business? \He shall stand before kings” (Proverbs 22:29).

What does Solomon mean by diligence? It is “careful and persistent work or effort. It is conscientiousness or industriousness in doing ones work or activity.” The synonyms of diligence are: meticulousness, conscientiousness, thoroughness and carefulness. In Tagalog, “plansado.” Solomon adds, “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure and whether it be right” (Prov. 20:11). Why a child? Because a child is innocent and has no intention of doing evil things. Why doing? Because it is not enough that we think or dream about it. We must do it – and do it the right way.

Diligence is a learnable skill that combines creative persistence, a working effort rightly planned and rightly performed in a timely, efficient, and effective manner to attain a result that is pure and of the highest degree or quality of excellence. In other words, diligence is a skill that can be developed by any one, young or old, educated or uneducated, poor or rich, brilliant or not. It is available to anybody willing to acquire the skill. But mind you, it is a tedious task and time-consuming and cannot be attained overnight, but the reward is what everybody is dreaming - success in life - - financially, socially and whatever we dream of!

Solomon said, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall not stand before mean men (or ordinary) men”.

The Lord Jesus is the best example of a diligent worker. Thus, the Bible says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:15 NIV).

My personal experience (as I used to say, “experience is the best teacher”) was that as an ordinary member of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which in those days had a membership of three hundred businessmen, professionals and government officials, upon the sponsorship by my bosom friend and co-incorporator in 1973 of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (Philippines) Inc., the late Rey R. de Leon, who was then the Executive Vice President of the Chamber, I was inducted as member and was first appointed as Assistant Secretary, then elected as the Corporate Secretary. I held on this position for a long time, perhaps because the members and officers perceived my diligence, until I was elected Vice-President for professional and business ventures. Thereafter, I was elected President for two terms, and then Chairman of the Board for one term. My privilege as a former President and Chairman of the Board are free membership for a lifetime; free meals and special table with other former Presidents and Chairmen of the Board during any function of the Chamber, also for a lifetime. By the way, during my term, the Davao City Chamber was awarded the accolade “The Best Chamber in Asia-Pacific”.

As President of the Chamber and later as Chairman of the Board, I had the privilege to have handshakes with President Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph E. Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Indeed, the Bible is true that “a man diligent in his business… shall not stand before mean men but before kings.” Solomon was right! The Bible is true! How did I attain such “success” if we may call it that way? Purely through “diligence” in performing my assigned task.

In my younger days as a lawyer, Davao City RTC Judge Antonio Martinez awarded me a substantial attorney’s fee. The opposing counsel moved for a reconsideration of the award complaining that the award was too much. In denying the motion, the Judge said, “Atty. Cariaga, a young and diligent lawyer, deserves the attorney’s fee awarded by this court.” Judge Martinez was later promoted as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

By God’s grace, I was recommended by the Davao City Chamber to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce, which, in turn, recommended me to the President of the Philippines for appointment as the business sector representative in the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) for Region XI. I am serving in that capacity from President Fidel V. Ramos’ term up to this day, with my latest re-appointment by President Noynoy Aquino effective June 1, 2014 to expire five years after.

Our interview and appearances in TV from time to time especially during clamor for minimum wage adjustments in Region XI, have made me known not only to the business and labor community but to all people where the TV program reaches. One time, clothed in a simple plain white T-shirt without collar, I bought bananas from a sidewalk vendor. The owner addressed me, “Attorney.” I asked her why do you know me as an attorney? She answered with a winsome smile, “I always see you on TV.” I also smiled to acknowledge the goodness and favor of God for the free advertisement, so to speak. It pays to be diligent more especially in the business of the LORD God Almighty. Praise God!

Our business in FGBMFI is God’s business and command: “Go into all the world and preach the good news (gospel) to all creation”. (Mark 16:15 NIV) or the Great Commission “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations … teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you …” (Matt. 28:19-20 KJV). Notably, our FGBMFI bulletin is circulated all over the world, particularly the articles with blog. Let us be diligent in our business whether spiritual or secular to succeed in life for the glory of God.

The Richest Man Who Ever Lived

The Bible records the riches of King Solomon as follows:

“¹⁴The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents (about 25 tons), ¹⁵not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.

¹⁶King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred bekas of gold (about 3.5 kilograms) went into each shield. ¹⁷He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas (about 1.7 kilograms) of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

¹⁸Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. ¹⁹The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. ²⁰Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. ²¹All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. ²²The king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

²³King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. ²⁴The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. ²⁵Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

²⁶Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. ²⁷The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.”

(1 Kings 10:14-27 NIV)

Indeed, King Solomon by human standard was not only very rich, he was the richest of all men. Why was it so? Because of the wisdom bestowed upon him by God, and he applied that wisdom. And this wisdom was asked by Solomon from God. The Bible says:

“⁵At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you’.”

x x x x x x x x x

⁷ “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. ⁹ So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. ¹⁴ And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings 3:7-14 NIV)

The Bible defines wisdom as the ability to discern or know by an understanding heart between good and bad (1 Kings 3:9 KJV). It further elaborates:

^“29 God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. ³⁰ Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.” (1 Kings 4:29-30 NIV)

God said, through Solomon:

^“10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
    knowledge rather than choice gold,
¹¹ for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
    and nothing you desire can compare with

her.

¹² “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
    I possess knowledge and discretion.
¹³ To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
    I hate pride and arrogance,
    evil behavior and perverse speech.
¹⁴ Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
    I have insight, I have power.
¹⁵ By me kings reign
    and rulers issue decrees that are just;
¹⁶ by me princes govern,
    and nobles—all who rule on earth.^[a]
17 I love those who love me,
    and those who seek me find me.
¹⁸ With me are riches and honor,
    enduring wealth and prosperity.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than fine gold;
    what I yield surpasses choice silver.
²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,
    along the paths of justice,
²¹ bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me  and making their treasuries full.”

(Prov. 8:10-21 NIV)

How important is this wisdom to our daily life? Solomon said:

^“7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

⁸ Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

⁹ She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

¹⁰ Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.” (Proverbs 4:7-10 KJV)

Like King Solomon, we should ask (pray) for wisdom, not silver or gold or wealth. If we have wisdom, the silver and gold, a discerning heart … to distinguish between right and wrong, wealth and honor, and long and satisfying life will follow just like night follows day. We can never be the richest man because it is written that label belongs to King Solomon alone, but we can be wealthy not only materially, physically and spiritually to some comfortable degree and be honorable disciple of God (in person, Jesus Christ). Stated otherwise, we shall be Christlike. The best of the best status in life now and in the world beyond.

The Best Is Yet To Come

It is normal for human beings, perhaps with the exception by choice, of priests, nuns and other religious people, to aspire to be rich in money and property because the richer a man becomes, he can have all the conveniences of life and live comfortably, which is a good and reasonable dream of every man. Towards this end, many keep themselves busy working literally day and night, retiring only to rest for a while, then repeat the same process day after day.

The wise King Solomon said:

“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle” (Prov. 23:4-5 NIV)

I have had a good lesson on this warning “do not wear yourself out to get rich”.

Graduating from high school at fourteen years old because I started my elementary grade at six years old and was accelerated from Grade IV to Grade V, and graduated High School at fourteen years old. However, my father was just a principal teacher in the Elementary level with nine children to support, so I had to stop going to college to give way to my older brother who was then on his third year in agricultural degree course at the Central Luzon Agricultural College (CLAC), now a University, with his promise that when he graduate and be employed, he would, in turn, support my studies in college.

Unfortunately, the call of love prematurely got my brother married during his fourth year, and although he was employed immediately after his graduation, he wrote our parents that he could no longer comply with his promise because his salary was just enough to support his family. Therefore, I had to stop for another year or a total of two years. On those years that I stopped going to school, I worked in our 13-hectare farm in Maniki, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, Philippines. I planted rice, corn, sugar cane and made sugar out of it; and I stripped abaca, then the prime agricultural product in Davao Province. Out of my savings, I took up vocational course of stenography and bookkeeping for six months in Davao City. By self-study, I became a fast typist—at sixty words per minute.

At the age of seventeen I was employed as stenographer-typist in the law office of Atty. Leopoldo M. Abellera, an awardee of an accolade “Lawyer of the Year” in Davao City, Philippines, during his time. My God-given extra-ordinary knowledge and skill in stenography and typewriting paved the way for my finishing my law degree. While working as stenographer-typist in the law office, I was also an instructor in Stenography in a local college where my boss was the President.

After three years, I resigned from the law office to join an American Company, the Koppel (Philippines), Inc., which was the distributor of bulldozers, caterpillar tractors, Skagit and other logging equipment and implements, logging being then the number one industry in Mindanao, Philippines. Because I had a substantial salary with fringe benefits, I supported the education of my six younger brothers and a sister. I also supported myself through college until I took the bar examination for lawyers and by God’s grace, successfully passed.

Immediately after passing the bar, I resigned my position in the company and engaged in the private practice of law, knowing from previous experience in the law office that I will earn more by private practice than just being employed. God was extremely gracious to me that out of my income, I was able to buy a lot within the City Poblacion on installment basis for five years where I was able to construct a modest multi-million home made of hollow blocks and well selected first class wooden building materials like narra, molave, tindalo, maggachapoy and dao which I gathered personally for seven years. In 1990, God allowed me to buy again on installment basis at five years, a 650 sq. meter lot in the heart of the city where I was able to build a two-storey fully concrete law office and commercial building also worth multi-million.

It was extremely hard work and sacrifice for me to be able to accomplish the above projects. I literally wore myself out to get “rich” but unfortunately in the early dawn of July 7, 2014, our residence was burned—turning all my efforts into smoke and ashes in a few minutes. And my dozen Stateside shoes – Florshiem and European shoes – Bally made in Italy – two pairs of Korean sandal – shoes I love so well, a dozen shoes all turned into ashes. But praise God, immediately with the blessing of God through my friends in Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International, Davao City Chapter, clients, and our daughter Vilma NP Nurse in California U.S.A., ten of my shoes were restored except the Bally shoes, and the two Korean genuine leather sandal – shoes, but again praise God, when I informed my Korean client what happened to the shoes he gave me, he committed to replace them when he comes back to the Philippines. God is indeed good. Indeed, King Solomon rightly said it, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich…for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle”.

The great Apostle Paul gave this advice:

^“6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Tim. 6:6-10 NIV)

And charged his disciple Timothy and to all who are disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ:

^“11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴ to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see…” (1 Tim 6:11-16 NIV)

and Paul further admonished:

^“17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Tim. 6:17-19 NIV)

Job said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart” (Job 1:21 NIV). The Apostle Paul reiterated this when he said, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim. 6:7 NIV).

So, what should be our attitude in life toward material riches? King Solomon has an answer. He said:

“Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, who is the LORD? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain” (Prov. 30:8-9 KJV).

Remember, the Bible says “don’t wear yourself out to get rich”, so, if by God’s providence and grace through diligence and hard work, (but not wearing out) you become one, Praise God, for the Bible also says, “Beloved, I wish above all things, that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3^rd John: 2 KJV). Stated differently God wants us to prosper materially, physically and spiritually. Thus, our God is always good all the time. The best is yet to come.