The Essence of Diligence

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“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” [Proverbs 22: 29]

 Diligence is an indispensable virtue which every Christian must possess. A diligent man is one who pays attention to detail, one who is precise in all he does, thus making him efficient and effective  in every task he is engaged in.

Diligence causes one to excel where others have failed. Many times, people are engaged in various tasks, but the desired result often eludes them because attention is not paid to the details of the task. The bible says, “the hand of the diligent shall bear rule” [Proverbs 12:24 KJV]. Other versions say that the hand of the diligent tends to plenty. To be diligent, you need to learn to see what others don’t see.

A diligent man is in charge, well organized and exudes the sagacity of the Spirit in all he does. This is the quality of the new creation in Christ Jesus. God begat us of his own will that we should be the first and the best in all that we do [James 1:18 KJV]. Refuse to be the Christian that is disorganized and doesn’t get things done the first time. Just as you exhibit diligence in the house of God, have this virtue stirred up in you all the time.

Let men be at peace when things are committed to your trust. Also, not forgetting that a diligent man would not stand before obscure men, for as the bible says “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” [Proverbs 22: 29 KJV] This is one sure way to excel and be the best of you. It may have to do with a project, tidying your room, organizing your books, arranging files or reports on your computer - whatever the task is, be diligent at it. No one may be watching you but always remember that it is an investment in your personality that would count for all times. Make up your mind to be diligent in all things you do from now on and trust the Holy Spirit who is the Father of all good gifts to strengthen and help you.

As you ponder on these thoughts remember that “... he who comes from heaven is [far] above all others [far superior to all others in prominence and in excellence]” – John 3: 31 (Amplified Version). Considering that you (as a Christian) are from above, because as He is so are we in this world [1 John 4:17], it means you have a head-start – an advantage – over others. And, like Pastor Chris Oyakhilome PhD says “work on being and not on having because when you are, you will have”.

Much appreciation to the writer of the beautiful post above, a dear brother of mine that I love very much - Chukwuma Okoroafor. So much to  be learned from that young man. And, many thanks to my editor - Chukwuemeka Obiaka. God bless you both for teaching us more on this all-important virtue!