Exposition:

As we gradually draw down the curtains on this year, and look forward to a new year, it is imperative to make diligent preparations if we seek to excel in every sphere of our endeavour. Abraham Lincoln is quoted to have said “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” This underscores the importance of preparation in getting any task executed without stress.

In today’s reading, King Solomon shares deep thoughts on how to succeed in the coming year without stress – preparation! The sharper your ax the more productive you will be.

The duller your axe the more energy you need to execute a task. The process of sharpening one’s axe could be referred to as the period of preparation. There are great opportunities ahead in 2023, and there are equally challenges. Thus, there is the need for you to dig deep and build capacity through making time to seek the face of God, reading more, evaluating your life, planning and setting personal goals.

On the other hand, keeping a dull axe refers to unpreparedness, maintaining the status quo, not adding any value, doing the same things over and again. These certainly do not guarantee exploits in any endeavour, but waste of time, average performance, and low productivity. The choice is ours to make!