Diligence. What is diligence? Is diligence an admirable characteristic? Is it refreshing and enjoyable to work around and with diligent people? If one is feeling lazy, does diligence in another seem to irritate? Are some tasks or jobs worthy of more diligence than others? Does God expect us to be diligent? Is God diligent?
The word “diligence” means the attention and care expected or required. It is persevering application. A diligent person (diligence is the noun; diligent is a characteristic – an adjective) is characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic application and effort. A diligent person exercises diligence in his/her endeavors. The opposite of diligent is lazy. It is fun and exciting to work with diligent people. The energy and steady effort, the perseverance, is contagious. If however, I am feeling less than energetic, if I am feeling and wanting to be lazy, it is rather difficult to endure diligence in others. My attitude will either change to become more diligent or I will need to leave the diligent to themselves.
The principles and the effect of diligence are referenced in the scriptures. The following scriptures refer to diligence in our everyday, secular activities. God places special emphasis on this characteristic in individuals:
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” Prov. 6:6-8
“He that diligently seeketh good procureth favor” Prov. 11:27
“The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” Prov 12:24
“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings;” Prov 22:29
The following two proverbs give a striking contrast between lazy and diligent:
“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” Prov 10:4
“The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.” Prov 13:4
The next proverb indicates particularly that we should be diligent in our work:
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” Prov 27:23
Solomon gave an especially strong statement:
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Ecc 9:10
These are interesting principles, but were they ever tested and proven? What we find from Old Testament examples are:
“So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned; and it was about an ephah of barley.” Ruth 2:17
Ruth worked during the day searching for grain left by the reapers. When she finished gathering the grain at the end of the day she spent the time to separate the grain from the straw. When she finished, she had 1.1 bushels of grain. She was diligent in her work and reaped a benefit of many days worth of grain for bread.
“Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.” Dan 2:48
“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; and over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first… Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him;” Dan 6:1-3
“So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” Dan 6:28
Daniel worked diligently for the king even though technically, he was a slave to Babylon being a captive from Israel.
“And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.” II Chron 31:21
Hezekiah prospered in all he did because he was serving God with all of his heart.
“So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” Neh 4:6
The wall was build during difficult times because the people had a mind to work. They were diligent in their tasks.
These were examples of the principles of diligence and the results in what we would call secular work. Nehemiah had to secure the city, Hezekiah needed to restore the temple and the worship of God, Daniel had to serve the foreign kings in a position of high authority, and Ruth worked essentially as a laborer just to have food to eat. They all dispatched their duties with integrity and apparently with energy. God honored their efforts. And yet, these are not the most significant and enduring applications of diligence.
Our relationship with the Almighty God deserves, even demands, persevering application. It requires attention and care. It needs diligence. We can be diligent in our secular activities, and reap its rewards, but if we neglect diligence with our relationship to God we suffer great harm. If we exercise diligence in our relationship with God we reap eternal benefits, and diligence will be a natural carryover into our other endeavors. God told the Hebrews:
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deu 6:5
To love God with all of one’s might is to love God diligently, to love God intensely.
How are we to be diligent in our relationship to God? Jesus often rose early in the morning before others awoke to have time alone in prayer (Mark 1:35). If He, the manifestation of God on earth, would do that, would it make some difference in our lives as well? When Jacob was afraid of what his brother Esau would do when they met the next day, he spent the entire night in prayer. The scriptures stated that he wrestled with a man all night. At the break of day the one with whom Jacob wrestled blessed Jacob and said that Jacob prevailed (won success) and had power with God. Jacob was diligent. He needed assurance that God would help him when he met Esau the next day. That is why he so intensely “wrestled” that night (Gen. 32:24-30).
The following are some scriptures explaining diligence in our daily walk with our God and Savior:
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Heb 11:6
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13-14
“And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Gal 6:9
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” I Cor 15:58
God has certainly been and continues to be diligent in His efforts toward us. God is worth our diligence toward Him. He rewards those that diligently seek Him.
Break the Bread 