The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labour. (Pro 12: 24). To be diligent is to be careful and persistent in what we do. The Lord requires that we apply diligence to our worship and our work. The phrase “diligent hand” refers to those who approach the things they commit themselves to with seriousness. Though the Lord is with us and promises to help us, we cannot just sit back and do nothing. Neither can we give up when the going gets tough?
I. We must make the most of our time.
Diligence requires that we don’t waste time. As we seek to experience a better life, we should be mindful of what we do with our time.
II. We must give ourselves to hard work.
Some see hard work as something Christians should avoid, but that is far from the truth. The Lord designed us for work. Right from the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, He charged the first humans to work the garden— to dress it and keep it. Work is God-ordained.
III. We must pay attention to what we do.
No one can do quality work if they work haphazardly. To produce value in our work, we must focus on what we are doing and take notice of all the details of our assignment.
IV. We must endeavour to finish what we start.
Because life is a task, we need strength to face it, not speed to flee from it. We don’t stop mid-way though our commitments are demanding. The diligent see their projects through. When the foundations shake beneath our feet and Christian friends, even leaders, fall into immorality, we need to stand for the Lord from beginning to end.
Scriptures
Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men. (Pro 22:29).
He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. (Pro 10:4).
The soul of a lazy man desires and has nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. (Pro 13:4).
