The Seven Christian Virtues: Diligence

The great theme of the 13th chapter of Proverbs is “And that’s that truth.” In this chapter, Solomon gives one witticism following another. It’s as if he is roaming through the seas of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge picking up diverse pearls of instruction for us to consider and admire. We almost wish he would pause for a moment to reflect and comment on his finds, but he hastily moves on to his next discovery leaving us to more thoroughly examine their beauty at a later time.

While we will not look at every pearl in this collection, we will examine several. This evening I want us to zero in on the Truth about Laziness because Solomon has so much to say about the topic through his Proverbs. He repeatedly contrasts laziness with diligence. Laziness is, of course, the sin, and diligence the virtue.

Laziness is generally described as: The lack of desire to act or work in general or to do an act or work that is expected of a person. It is the general attitude of apathy you feel when you tell yourself “The messy garage will still be there tomorrow”; or “The chaotic closet won't run away”; or “I’ll start my term paper next week.” These seductions routinely beset the person the proverbs call the sluggard. The passage reminds me of the character of Mr. Wilkins Micawber in Charles Dickens’ novel, David Copperfield. Not noted for his industry, Mr. Micawber’s favorite expression is “Sooner or later something will turn up.” Micawber is the eternal optimist, but he does little, if anything, to encourage opportunity to come knocking. Like the sluggard of Proverbs 13:4, he craves and gets nothing. It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “Diligence is the mother of good luck.”

Solomon contrasts this vice with the virtue of diligence. Diligence is the state or quality of pursuing one's goals with conviction, persistence and dedication. It is the general attitude of the tortoise in Aesops’ fable of The Tortoise and the Hare. Mr. Tortoise is not fast, but he relentlessly plods forward toward his goal. Diligence is the self-resolve of The Little Steam Engine telling himself repeatedly, “I–think–I–can, I–think–I–can, I–think–I–can,” until finally his resolve becomes reality and he triumphantly chugs “I–knew–I–could, I–knew–I–could, I–knew–I–could.” The reward of diligence, according to Solomon, is that the soul is made fat – which is his way of saying that diligence breeds satisfaction.

This evening, I want to concentrate on the diligence part of this verse. What are believers to be diligent at? What are we to pursue with conviction, persistence and dedication? In my study this week, I simply looked up everywhere in the bible where the word diligent is found. In doing that, I discovered three areas of life where the believer is encouraged to be diligent:

1. We are to be diligent in our spiritual affairs

2. We are to be diligent in our business affairs

3. We are to be diligent in our family affairs

I. THE DILIGENT MAN APPLIES HIMSELF TO HIS SPIRITUAL WALK

"You should diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you. 18 “You shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with you ... " (Deuteronomy 6:17-18, NASB95)

"For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins." (2 Peter 1:4-9, NASB95)

1. the Christian life is a way of life that is meant to give us guidance in every area of life

a. but most Christians have made it sort of an extracurricular activity

1) it is not something to be taken into the business world or the schoolroom or into social life

2) it is something sort of like your Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes which you wear only at certain times

b. Peter, however, tells us that our life in Christ is something to which we are to give all diligence

2. it takes every bit of persistence and effort a Christian can muster, along with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, to “escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” that the apostle refers to in 2 Peter 1:4

3. the believer must work hard at cultivating the seven qualities Peter listed in verses 5-7

a. this list is often referred to as The Seven Graces of the Christian Life

1) love

2) brothery kindness

3) godliness

4) perseverance

5) self-control

6) goodness

7) faith

4. Christians thus face two staggering possibilities

a. on the one hand, we can work to develop these qualities in increasing measure in our lives, and thus find a deepening experience of the Lord leading to a fruitful Christian life

b. on the other hand, we can ignore these graces, but – according to the Apostle Peter – this response is short-sighted, even blind, as it overlooks our wondrous salvation in Christ Jesus

5. these are graces that we need to constantly strive to infuse into our character and conduct

a. as a Christian does so, he becomes more like Christ, participating more fully in God’s divine nature

6. The Diligent Man Applies Himself to His Spiritual Walk

II. THE DILIGENT MAN APPLIES HIMSELF TO HIS DAILY BUSINESS

"Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. 5He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully." (Proverbs 10:4-5, NASB95)

"For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; 9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. 10 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 Thessalonians 3:7-10, NASB95)

1. diligence in our vocation and business is a repetitive theme in the Book of Proverbs and throughout the Scriptures

2. God’s commandment establishing a day of rest says, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work” (Ex. 20:9)

a. industry is not only commended, it is commanded

b. it’s also common sense, because “lazy hands make a man poor”

ILLUS. German pastor and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “The first hour of the day belongs to God in worship, the other hours of the day belong to God in work.”

3.Solomon reminds us that the most happy and productive people are those who are diligent in their labors for the support of their family, betterment of mankind, and the glory of God

A. GOD CREATED US TO BE INDUSTRIOUS AND WORK TO BE A BLESSING

1. have you ever wondered why we have to work?

a. is work supposed to be a joy or is it a grim necessity?

b. what place does work have in your life and what is your attitude toward it?

2. Christ encouraged His disciples to be salt and light – change agents in the world around them

a. one of the very best environments for us to accomplish that is in the work place

3. this is the core of what we’ve traditionally called the Protestant work ethic

a. it’s not just about working hard

b. the Protestant work ethic is all about understanding why we should work hard

" ... whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31, NASB95)

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:17, NASB95)

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men," (Colossians 3:23, NASB95)

4. in the book of 2 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul emphasized the witness of work

a. in his letter to these Christians, Paul had written primarily about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ

1) they had a lot of questions that he sought to give them answers to

b. because some were expecting the return of Christ at any moment, many had quit their jobs and were not interested in doing anything else

c. the result was two-fold

1) they had become a physical burden to their families and others in the church who felt obligated to support them

2) they had become nosey busybodies peering into everyone else’s business

2 Thessalonians 3:11 "We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies."

5. their decision points to a basic flaw in their attitude toward work

a. they did not see work as being a spiritual matter

b. nothing could be further from Biblical truth

6. God created us to be industrious and work to be a blessing

7. The Diligent Man Applies Himself to His Daily Business

III. THE DILIGENT MAN APPLIES HIMSELF TO HIS FAMILY’S WELFARE

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up." (Deuteronomy 6:4-7, NASB95)

"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 Timothy 5:8, NASB95)

1. the New Testament frequently refers to churches in houses

a. one of several examples is found in the Book of Philemon where the Apostle Paul refers to the church in your house

b. for a number of years after the Christian movement began, no buildings existed exclusively for churches

c. because the Christians met in homes, one could quit appropriately write about ‘the church in your house’

2. in a sense every Christian home should function as a church in miniature

a. such abodes are places were ...

1) physical needs are met

2) emotional support is provided ...

3) spiritual development is encouraged ...

4) ministry opportunities are sought and practiced

3. sadly, our generation may be watching the death of marriage and the family as we know it

ILLUS. There has been a monumental shift in our culture about the importance of marriage. While marriage has been considered an essential step in a successful life throughout most of the history, that view is under serious challenge. The Pew Research Center reports that only about half of Americans over age 18 are married. This is down from 72 percent in 1960. One obvious reason for this shift is that, on average, people are getting married much later in life than they were just a few decades earlier. In the United States, the median age for first marriage rose to an all-time high in 2018: 30 for men and 28 for women. Right now a staggering 41% of American who have never been married seriously doubt that they ever will. In 2018 the Huggington Post ran a story titled, 10 Reasons It's Totally Fine To Never Get Married. Some were absolutely silly. Reason #3 was that men who marry tend to gain weight. Reason #9 was, “Hey, plenty of marriages in this country end up in a divorce anyway.” In the end the article conclude that “domestic partnership” is just fine and may be the answer.

a. and of course the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court case redefined marriage and family altogether

4. it’s time for Christians to reiterate the divine pattern found in the Scriptures

a. our marriages and families should demonstrate a way of living that is ...

1) rewarding

2) meaningful

3) fulfilling

5. ultimately, the family is a place where biblical principles are hammered and honed on the anvil of everyday living

a. the family circle is the supreme conductor of Christianity

6. The Diligent Man Applies Himself to His Family's Welfare

Diligence is a key attribute for being a Christian. Christian diligence starts with faith and it is ultimately manifested in love. God has provided us His Word and it is only through Christian diligence that we can fulfill His purpose in our lives. 2nd Peter 1:5 advises us on the importance of diligence in maturing in Christ. 2 Peter 1:5, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”

"The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made fat." (Proverbs 13:4, NASB95)

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