Proverbs 13:4—
“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
But the soul of the diligent is made fat.”
As we said earlier, this verse helps us understand God’s perspective on labor and life. God created work as a blessing and work is an essential part of Creation. It is a good thing. We also said that it is an important part of the Christian ethic, since our work is one means that the Lord has appointed for our provision (1 Thes. 4:11-12).
Not only is work an important part of the Christian life, but I hope to show today that diligence in work is the expectation for all Christians. This should be plain from the teaching of the book of Proverbs since the diligent character of the wise or righteous person is consistent with the fear of the Lord (Prov. 8:12-17). Many other passages also describe Christian diligence, to which we will now turn.
Paul, as he describes his own ministry in 1 Corinthians 9, exhorts the Corinthians to run the ‘Christian’ race alongside him. He relates his own ministry in intense terms—boxing, discipline, slavery—showing the laborious nature of his own personal efforts (1 Cor. 9:26-27). When he encourages the Corinthians to run the race, however, he does not merely call them to participate—he calls them to run in such a way that they may win (1 Cor. 9:24). Paul wanted to see these Christian brothers and sisters exerting themselves for the sake of Christ, focusing on Him as if excellence in doing so was a matter of competition! This is a call to diligence.
Likewise, later in the letter he says that the grace of God caused him to labor even more than all others, tying the common Christian bond (being a partaker of grace) to the uncommon efforts that he exerted (1 Cor. 15:10). If the grace of God produced this in Paul, what is producing laziness in our churches or our lives? Instead of indulging ourselves, we need to hear and heed his call in 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” This is a call to diligence.
Finally, we ought to understand that the Christian’s hope is to be forever with the Lord, ruling as a king alongside Him (2 Tim. 2:12, Rev. 2:26-27, Rev. 3:21) but also serving Him forever as His bondservant (Rev. 7:13-15, Rev. 22:3). Diligent labor is our lot not only in this life but also in the life to come, if we are Christians! Diligence in serving the Lord, then, must be a blessing of the highest order, if it constitutes part of our experience in heaven. By laboring diligently on the earth we show that we are preparing for heaven and looking forward to the final day. This is a call to diligence!
Ask yourself, then, this question: “Does my daily life demonstrate diligence?” Do you diligently labor to serve the Lord in your job (Col. 3:23-24), regardless of the character of your boss (Col. 3:22)? Is it apparent from your actions that you have not been entangled in the affairs of everyday life (2 Tim. 2:4)? Are you running the ‘Christian race’ as if you wanted to win (1 Cor. 9:24)?
Let me encourage you to be diligent, especially in your service to the Lord! He is worthy of nothing less than your very best. If you are a Christian, He saved you by grace apart from your works, so that you would live for His sake with self-abandoning zeal (2 Cor. 5:14-15). Be diligent in your work. Be diligent in your service. And students: be diligent in your studies. It is the Christian way of life.
--Dean of Admissions
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