The Diligent Vs The Sluggard

For anyone who's talked with the old schools about life, one of the main things they'll tell us is the importance of hard work. As one historic hip-hop quotable from the mid-90's said, "...everything you get you got to work hard for it..." I have to say that's true. We have to put in work, time, and effort to obtain success in life. No matter what type of employment we found ourselves in from handling pro- bono cases in the courtroom to being a single parent raising kids, it takes hard work and dedication. Budgeting our money, managing our time, studying to become the best at our alter maters takes work. It takes diligence and only the diligent are going to see results. Being a diligent individual causes us to be single minded, focused, and loosing ourselves from the distraction this world will throw at us. Diligence does come with a price as we have to let of pleasures, habits, and viewpoints that will keep us in the cycle of failure and nothingness. It's sort of like a professional athlete, he or she has to work out everyday, master their skills, and humble themselves to help the rest of the team obtain a world championship. A diligent man or woman is somebody a boss, an executive, their siblings, their pastor, their enemies can depend on to do the right thing. They don't just start something, they finish it all the way through. They're not half steppers and many people won't like them because it seems they do things for recognition. But that's beside the point. They are an example of diligence, hard work, and excellence. To be the best, we have to be diligent. But many of us are being or becoming sluggards, lazy, prideful, inconsistent, troublesome, complacent. Our boss wants to see us go to the next level and gives us tasks to complete. However, we fail the test time after time giving them our excuse to why things are completed. We share our dreams and hopes for the future to do this, to go to this place, and make a certain amount. However, we're seen wasting our time, spending rather than saving, and can't even come on time to work. We wonder why things in our lives aren't going the way we planned them. Instead taking on the diligent mind, who knows it's going to suffer a lot for the glory, the sluggard takes "the easy way out" and only find themselves in greater turmoils later. My question to us today is this, if God isn't a sluggard (slacker), why are we? What if He slacked off when He created the universe, perfectly placing every atom and molecular structure in our cosmos? Things would be a bit chaotic, right? What if He slept in and didn't hear none of our cries of distress, we would never receive much needed blessings to carry us on, would we? What if He knowing the pain He would endure through the death of cross, just stayed on His throne and let us die in our sins and experience eternal torture? If He's diligence, so should we be diligent. If we want to see our kids become upstanding citizens, we've got to be diligent in raising them. If we want to have investments for the future, we've got to save aggressively (help me Lord). I won't lie to you all, these past couple of months, I haven't been that diligent. But through a lot of introspection and conviction, I'm working to be a diligent man. Not only for myself but for my family, friends, and people I know I will have to help along the way. It's time we become diligent and set a great and honorable legacy of diligence for others to follow (remixed from Muze One from Redeemed Thought, '06). Man, I can take this a bit further but let me leave you with some words from my good friend Jedidiah (research it...)

Proverbs 10:4: (this is a one size fits all, try it out, you'll see)

"He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand:but the hand of the diligent maketh rich."


Reference:

Proverbs 6:6-11

Ain't No Half-Steppin'

Some of you who see the title of today's blog we'll see that I have to bite off of Big Daddy Kane's hit song in the mid-80's. The title says a lot and I just want to break it down in various terms that come to mind. Some of you (maybe the young-whipper snappers) may not know what half-stepping means. Half-stepping means not putting our best foot forward when it comes to personal, professional, educational, or spiritual business. It means being lackadaisical, sloppy, lazy, inconsistent, unreliable, or just to simply put, just getting by. In times past, this attitude worked pretty well when we were spoiled or in other terms spoon-fed. Nowadays, we've got to work for what we want; meaning, we have to show ourselves faithful as well as diligent. The other side of grace is that we have to live these two characteristics, faithfulness and diligence. Solomon shares with us in Proverbs 12:24 that the hand of the diligent will bear rule but the slacker will always be under tribute (slavery, poverty, unsuccessful, unfulfilled). Unfortunately, this is the case for many of us, young and old. A lot of feel like the world is supposed to revolve around us, that is, to cater to needs, desires, and lifestyle. But here is a little lesson I need to share with us all. If the Lord Jesus Christ had to suffer and show Himself faithful as well as diligent in what He had to accomplish in His life on earth, why not us? Who are we to put our frame of mind about His? Think about it. Why are we half-stepping? Why are we always starting something or some things but never see them through? Why are we always dropping the ball? Why do we always step out of the house not dressing like our best but to regress ourselves? Why do we feel we deserve to make straight A's but don't study for only 15 minute to pass a mid-term exam? Why do feel like we always have to speak a word or prophesy but never take at least 30 minutes to an hour to be broken in God's presence let alone His word? Why do we feel like our businesses are going to bloom but we never put in the time, money, and efforts to get it going the ways we've envisioned? Half-stepping is leading to the next full step but never makes it there. Therefore, we are like slaves or people with much promise yet never reach our full potential. Dudes and dudettes, this isn't God's plan for us to be half-steppers but to be overcomers. Just as He is, we must learn to become the diligent, the faithful, the starters and finishers. For example, the reason why Big Daddy Kane in the 80s, was probably at the top of the rap game was from his diligence. He made sure his lines, flow, delivery, style, appearance, and stature was opulent. He wanted to stand above the rest of the rappers of his time. Now, I'm not talking about us doing things that will displease the Lord Jesus through our own ideologies and ways, but we've got to take on the nature of being the best of what God "pre-expects" in our lives. I've learned within the past couple of months, that if I'm not going to do my best or do things right; it doesn't make much since to do it all. I can't half-step. I can't just get by and ask God to give me grace when I'm not showing Him some type of effort (faith without works is dead-James 2:20). I've got to do the best and He will empower me to go for the gold. Our human nature, especially in these days, we only settle for less. God is saying, No baby, aim higher, get smarter, and push yourself as an a great athlete to do better. So my friends, let's not leave behind a legacy for this current and future generations a pathway of half-stepping. Let's leave behind a legacy of excellence in everything we do. This is just one facet of innumerable facets of giving glory to God.

Til Next Time, dgwo.

Reference:

Proverbs 12:24
Daniel 6:1-3

Don't Be A Slouch, Be Productive!

I was starting to write something else earlier but it looks like I'll be making a book out of it (stay tuned). But I guess today's blog will focus on being diligent. Solomon says this to us from Proverbs 12:24:

"The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute."

So, what is diligence?  Here is the definition of diligence:

diligence: careful and persistent work or effort. 

Diligence is not only starting a project but seeing it through until finished. Diligence is moving forward no matter what comes against us. Diligence is always seeking innovative ways to make things happen. Diligence is keeping tuned to what's going on around us and maneuvering through the channels of life. 

When we are diligent, we will be presented before people of great status and given opportunities before many people. One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Joseph. He was a man betrayed, lied on, and cheated out his latter teenage years and his twenties due to slavery and prison. During these times, Joseph learned to be diligent where we was placed. He could have  been like us these days in American society who shut down every time things get rough. He could have been like us blaming people who did us wrong and left us to die in our situation. He could have hated God for allowing all those things to happen to him. But He bloomed where He was planted. One of two things are going to happen. We're either going to sink or swim. We're going to sit on the couch and let life pass us by or make the best out of every situation. He chose to suffer and be productive. He made it happen and was given leadership positions in his master's house as well as in the prison. He diligence led him to become ruler of all Egypt and fed many nations. In this time of recession, emotional depression, and moral regression, this is the hour God is calling us His people to be about their Father's business. He's calling the prodigal sons and even those who don't believe in God to become a part of the greatest revolution of change the world has ever seen. However, there's the end of the bargain we must fulfill and it requires us to be diligent. Hard work pays off. If Jesus never put in work in working miracles and dying on the cross for the eternal salvation of mankind, this world would be worse than what it is now. If Joseph became a slouch, all those nations during the famine would've died of hunger. What if I don't write these blogs everyday? I would increase the process of internal frustrations and miss the blessing for me that will bless countless others around the corner. Diligence is more than just us, it's about others who God wants to insert in His perfect plan. Well, I guess that says it all. To all those who've been diligent for what Jesus has called them to do, keep doing it. Just hold tight, your time is coming and coming very soon. To all who've given up, it's time for you to dream again and ask God to restore your hope in Him and to do what He's called you to do. To all who are diligent but whatever it is not pleasing God, consider Him and His ways. Change your will over to His and learn to be diligent in the things He has for you to do. 

Til next time, dgwo.

Reference:

Proverbs 12:24