Are you Past Due?

"The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Proverbs 13:4

When we hear the word diligence, it affects us oddly like so many of the Christian character words that make up the content of the teachings of The Word of God. Diligence and other like words are almost unfamiliar to us and sound awkward or archaic. Yet, diligence is essential to spiritual development, and understanding the daily walk of a believer. If diligence is to be part of our character we must let go of three of our favorite practices in order to be diligent. I am sure that someone you know very well is prone to at least one of the following tendencies:

1. Laziness

2. Procrastination

3. Quitting

None of these traits mix at all with diligence, yet they are common everyday practices that sabotage our spiritual health. Laziness cripples us from getting on with what we need to be diligent about. It is nearly impossible to be diligently lazy. Since diligence necessitates alertness and focus, we find it counterproductive to allow long periods of non-focus or daydreaming. Please note that healthy “downtime” or rest and relaxation are not laziness, unless abused. If we are to be diligent, we must find, define and execute each task and opportunity of each day.

The next “underminer” of diligence is procrastination. Maybe I'll tell you sometime about how that works. . . (Wait! Now I'm procrastinating as I write this!). Diligence means not only finding, defining and executing our responsibilities and duties, it means taking care of business in a timely fashion. We can't be “eventually” diligent. Diligence infers now, not later, at least real soon.

The last and most fatal killer of diligence is quitting. Often, after we have been lazy and procrastinated as long as possible, the only solution to escape responsibility is to quit. The end product by definition of diligence cannot be quitting. It has to be completion and finishing. Christ modeled diligence. He stayed on task, did not procrastinate, and finished what He came to do.

The most common use of the word diligence is paired with the word “due”. If you think about “due diligence”, most of us have to pair the word “due” with its most oft used describer...“Past Due”. Our tendency is to be past due about diligence. If we exercised ‘due diligence, we sure would be less past due.

One of the key lessons I learned from my father was that of responsibility. I used to despise the word as a teenager. All it is, is the ability to respond, which I can do if I'm not lazy, procrastinating or quitting. If I will not be diligent, then I am irresponsible. Personal responsibility would sure solve a lot of problems that we suffer from and put others through. Ouch! Sometimes the truth hurts a little, huh?

I will now focus, stay on task and take personal responsibility to… uhhhh… finish this devotional which is probably past due.

In Him, Pastor Fred

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