- Proverbs 13:4 (NKJV) The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
- Proverbs 21:5 (NKJV) The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
- 2 Peter 3:14b (NASB) ...be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless...
- Matt 22:4-5 (NKJV) Again, he sent out other servants, saying, "Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding."' But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.
As you see above, Proverbs has a few things to say about diligence and one can see why: the major writer of this book was driven by excellence and diligence - a classic Supporting-Giving® type who is drivien by the belief that “hard work” will get them ahead.
But the question that came up for me when I thought about this verse was: Where have I shown up "as one with a slack and idle hand?"
Slack and idle would not be the normal label applied to me; however, being consistent in my personal time with the Lord is certainly one area where I have not always been diligent. I took our relationship for granted. Even when I got back into the Word, I read with an "idle hand"- as it were - since I didn't think of it in the context of my life. The diligence to do business right (right to me now really means producing eternal results - not just temporal results) begins with being personally diligent in one's walk with the Lord (see 2 Peter above).
Of course, many principles of business, if followed, can result in reaching certain goals, profitable growth, etc. Hard work pays off. Even if the failure of a business is the result of consequences of outside factors that lack of capital cannot overcome, hard work still will result in contacts, learning and personal growth.
However, God is not interested in our being diligent in the development of our business strategy for just the sake of the business. He is interested in our being diligent because we really do know that we work for Him alone; therefore, our work reflects our relationship with Him. But sometimes our work blinds us and we forget that the Lord wants to spend time with us - invite us to dinner, as it were. Our response is too often like those in the parable given in Matthew. "Can't make it Lord - got work to do!" Priorities confused. Focus flawed.
Diligence demands discipline: the discipline to respond to the important not the urgent. The diligence to live by faith, not sight. Idleness comes in many forms.
Are you and I diligent to give the Eternal priority over the temporal? Only then will our soul be made rich.
Copyright (c) 2006 by P. Griffith Lindell
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