Making the Most of An Abundant Life: Diligence

Living an Abundant Life:
Diligence

INTRODUCTION:
Ernest Pusey was the third-oldest person in the world the day he died at age 111 on November 19, 2006.  Nine days before, the man who had worked 32 years for General Motors and drawn retirement for 48 and had entertained a visit from Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Bush was delivering something a bit overdue to Pusey-the Victory Medal he had earned from fighting in World War I from 1917-1919.  He was a sailor in the Navy, charged with patrolling the seas around the British Isles.  He went to church each Sunday and was able to walk from a friend's car into his trailer (he preferred living there to nursing homes).  A man extraordinary for longevity and survival, "Ernie" was a true hero remembered by his country on Veteran's Day if a bit overdue.

When we make a daily, concerted effort to be productive, or even to be pleasing to God, we can open up great doors of opportunity to be of service to God and to our fellow-man. “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men” (Prov. 22:29). In other words, Solomon is telling us that the general pattern in life is that if we are diligent, we will receive rewards.

WHERE WILL WE GO WITHOUT DILIGENCE?
You will find that people with strong character have diligence, determination, a “will.” Those with weak character only have “wishes.” Diligence is that characteristic which is always attentive, active, and indefatigable. It stands opposed to indifference, carelessness, procrastination, and laziness.

You have heard of the fable of the tortoise and the hare. The rabbit was quick, swift; the turtle, slow and clumsy. But the tortoise possessed something the hare did not have - diligence. The fast rabbit would run awhile and nap awhile. The rabbit allowed himself to get distracted by things that were not important. The slow-footed turtle just kept plodding along, and while the rabbit dozed, the turtle came in first. The moral of the fable is easy to understand: victory does not always go to the fastest and most talented, but to the most diligent.

“The heights by great men - reached and kept -
Were not attained by sudden flight -
But they while their companions slept
Were toiling upward through the night.”
- Longfellow

You can drive through the country and pass a farm, with good barns, strong fences, beautiful grass and healthy cattle. Or you can pass a run-down farm with dilapidated buildings, deteriorating fences, and pastures filled with brush. One indicates fortune, the other, misfortune. One man gained it; the other missed it. It might very well be because of diligence which moved the hand of one and indifference paralyzed the hand of the other.

Aspiration points us, but perspiration gets us there. If you have an individual who aspires and perspires, she will get the job done. No one else will.

We’re talking about having the “abundant life” which Jesus promises us in John 10:10.

Don’t lazily sit in a boat
That’s pushed out to float
And carelessly drift and drift;
But grab an oar and head for the shore
And a land of good things will be yours.
- Brownlow

OVERCOME LAZINESS:
Laziness cuts short the expectations of life. “A lazy man does not roast his prey, But the precious possession of a man is diligence” (Prov. 12:27). Laziness in a person is like iron which rusts from disuse; like water which stagnates from being still.

A sheep rancher in Texas hired a man to tend his sheep. The shepherd carelessly let the sheep get away from him one by one. After three or four months, he came into town to see his boss and he said, “You are going to have to get me some more sheep to herd; I’ve run out of sheep!” Well, there was a lot more “running out” - but it wasn’t sheep!

The Bible emphasizes in strong words the need to be diligent:

Romans 12:10-11 - “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”

This Greek word “Diligent” is used 12 times in the NT. In a few places, it is translated “hurry” (NASV). In 2 Corinthians, the word is translated “earnestness.” In Hebrews 6:11, the writer says, “we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.” Spiritual laziness turns one’s heart to the world and stops staying faithful to God. It takes diligence to remain faithful until the end.

In 2 Peter 1:5-7, Peter writes: “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”

The Bible teaches that if we are not diligent to provide for our own needs, then we deserve to suffer the consequences: “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either” (2 Thess. 3:10).

To go back to Proverbs, the wise man taught: “Know well the condition of your flocks, And pay attention to your herds; For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations” (27:23). Be diligent to know what is going with your affairs; know what your strengths are, what your weaknesses are. You can be more productive if you simply pay attention to what is going on around you.

Here is the end result of that diligence, according to Solomon in Proverbs 10:4 - “Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” There are, of course, exceptions to that rule. But, it is a general principle God has built into the fabric of life.

God even set things up so that we could look at an ant and be encouraged by her ways: “Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest” (Prov. 6:6-8).

WE NEED DILIGENCE IN THE HOME:
If we do not provide for our own families, we suffer the worse criticism God can offer someone: “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8).

Remember the virtuous woman who was praised by God through King Lemuel in Proverbs 31: “She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens” (31:15). Then in verse 27: “She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.”

WE ALSO NEED DILIGENCE IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES:
We need to be earnest about keeping our hearts pure and right with God: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life” (Prov. 4:23).

Jesus was diligent about fulfilling His Father’s will in His life: “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4). Surely one key to the success Jesus had in His life was that He would not allow Himself to get distracted by mundane affairs in life. In fact, we have a clear example of that in Luke 12 when someone from the crowds called on Jesus to tell the man’s brother to divide the family inheritance with him (12:13-21). Jesus told the man that no one had made him a judge or arbiter in that affair. Then, he redirected the man and His audience to the more important things in life. Jesus said, “Beware and be on guard against every form of greed” (12:15). Jesus told the parable of the rich farmer. Then Jesus concluded: “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (12:21). Jesus would not get distracted.

So Jesus had Paul tell Timothy: “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). There is no season in which we cannot be prepared to tell people what God has said.

We need to be diligent to show ourselves approved of God, molded into the image of Christ, and prepared for heaven. Peter wrote: “Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you” (2 Peter 1:10-11).

The verb translated “be diligent” is found 11 times in the NT, three times in 2 Timothy, three times in 2 Peter. Let’s read what God has to say about being diligent:

Galatians 2:10 - “They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.”
Ephesians 4:3 - “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (4:1-3).
2 Tim 2:15 - “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” We see here that diligence in Bible study is a must.
Hebrews 4:11 - “Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.”
Again, read Peter’s words: “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you” (2 Peter 3:14-15).

There is simply no escape for those who neglect their spiritual lives. The Hebrew writer asked, “How shall we escape if neglect so great salvation?” (Heb. 2:3).

We must stay focused so we can stay prepared. At the conclusion of the parable of the ten virgins, we see this happen: “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:10-13).

Bite off more than you can chew and chew it;
Plan more than you can do and do it;
Hitch your wagon to a star,
Keep your seat - and there you are!

Take home message: Let us work hard to develop the quality of diligence in our lives. We’ll reap rewards in this life and in the life to come.