diligence – Rev. Tim Ehrhardt

*Farm Women at Work, by Georges Seurat (1859-1891)*

Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.

Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?

Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.

Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.

One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

Like a bird that flees its nest
is anyone who flees from home.

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.

Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.

A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping
of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.

The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and whoever protects their master will be honored.

As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.

Death and Destruction are never satisfied,
and neither are human eyes.

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but people are tested by their praise.

Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding them like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove their folly from them.

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
    give careful attention to your herds;
for riches do not endure forever,
    and a crown is not secure for all generations.
When the hay is removed and new growth appears
    and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
the lambs will provide you with clothing,
    and the goats with the price of a field.
You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
    and to nourish your female servants. (New International Version)

Hard Work

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15, NIV)

Work itself is not a result of humanity’s fall. Before Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were tasked to work and take care of the Garden of Eden. Therefore, work is inherently good. Yet, hard labor is certainly a result of the fall.

What we humans ought to have done through our created nature, now because of the fall into sin and disobedience, we have to work with focused deliberate intention. And even then, we often don’t perform our work as we would like.

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
    through painful toil you will eat food from it
    all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
    and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:17-19, NIV)

This is why wise persons throughout the ages have given priority to hard work, and branded laziness as detrimental to our human welfare.

Much of our labor is menial and mundane, no matter what the work is. Yet, through vision and persistence, the fruit of our labor eventually breaks through. It is important for us to keep our nose to the grindstone, namely, because this is what it takes to produce, and to keep ourselves out of trouble!

Like a shepherd who cares for the sheep, we are to be present, pay attention, do whatever it takes to help the sheep flourish, and hang in there through the thick and thin of the job.

Diligence and consistency are vital to our hard work. The temptation of get-rich-quick schemes and other supposedly easy paths to success and wealth sometimes rear their heads to lure us away from our daily chores.

Well-kept sheep will produce wool and milk for several years. Riches and achievements and accolades, however, do not necessarily last for long.

Affectionate Love

Hard work and relationships nurtured by affectionate love are meant to go hand-in-hand. In other words, ideally, the duty and diligence of our daily tasks, and the consistency of establishing relational well-being with others, is well-balanced and works seamlessly together.

Loving another entails both encouragement and correction, heartfelt words as well as open words of rebuke. That is, we continually think of what another needs, and what is best for the community as a whole.

Our love must entail what is good for the one being loved, for the one doing the loving, and for the whole community to which both belong. Love leaves angry speeches and jealous motives behind and doesn’t utilize them, because they are tools of hate and hurt.

Gracious Dignity

Everyone is responsible to extend basic human kindness to one another, without exception. We are to listen to and honor our parents and elders; practice self-control and patience with all; and use gentle words in every communication.

Poise under pressure, and motivation to do what is right and good helps to lift the worth and dignity of others. We extend this to people for no other reason than that it is another human being who is in front of us; this is a person in God’s image.

God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27, NIV)

All persons have inherent worth as image-bearers of God. The wise person amongst us knows this and continually applies it in all their words and actions toward others.

Wise people also understand the value of hard work, and the intrinsic worth of work itself. Furthermore, they discern that love is to be the motivation and animating principle in doing work and working with others.

The bottom line of all the proverbial wise saying in today’s lesson is that we are to help and encourage others through both our words and our working actions. Our individual lives are to benefit the whole community, so that we are a blessing to others, as well as to receive blessings from those around us.

In engaging a healthy rhythm of giving and receiving, we reverse the curse, and enable the world to return to Eden.

Almighty God, we pray that You will bless all of our various labor and work in the world. Help us to pray fervently, diligently work hard, and give liberally. In all that we do, enable us to do it with all the love You provide. Amen.

The Christian life is a struggle, a wrestling match of putting off bad behavior, and putting on good behavior. Like a set of dirty clothes, we take them off and put on new clothes (Ephesians 4:14-5:20). We must do both, putting off and putting on. It does no good to take off dirty clothes and stand there naked. Neither does it make any sense to just put clean clothes on over your dirty ones.

The seven deadly sins of lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, anger, envy, and pride are bad habits of vice which darken the heart. From them springs the evil behavior of the world. We must put them aside. In their place we are to put on the seven heavenly virtues of purity, self-control, generosity, diligence, forgiveness, kindness, and humility.

1. Purity

The insatiable habit of committing mental adultery needs to be replaced with purity of heart. The pure of heart seek to better themselves through confession, repentance, and accountability. One reason many people do not experience victory over their lust is that they confess and repent without allowing themselves to be held accountable by a wise spiritual mentor or a safe small group of people.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10, NIV)

“Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2, ESV)

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8, NIV)

2. Self-Control

The glutton overindulges to the point of addiction. He needs self-control. Self-control is to engage in the good things of life in moderation, learning to say “no” before it’s too late. Notice this is self-control, not others-control. The way to gain mastery over yourself is not through controlling other people. It’s tempting to blame others for our gluttony, but the path forward is through taking small steps of personal courage and faith. Lent is the perfect season to intentionally plan to put aside one vice or besetting sin in your life.

“Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32, NIV)

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV)

“Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat.” (1 Peter 5:8, NCV)

3. Generosity

The greedy person only thinks about money and how to get more. Greed can only be overcome with generosity toward others. Not only are we to liberally give money away to those in need, we are to be generous with encouraging words, go out of our way to do humble service, and be effusive in spending time with those who need it.

“But if there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need.” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8, NLT)

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Proverbs 19:17, ESV)

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:17-18, NIV)

4. Diligence

A lazy and indifferent attitude doesn’t want to get involved. It needs to be replaced with a diligent hard-working spirit. Diligent people seek to make a difference in the world. They roll their sleeves up, jump-in and get to work on the great problems of the day.

“The lazy have strong desires but receive nothing; the appetite of the diligent is satisfied.” (Proverbs 13:4, CEB)

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5, ESV)

“So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9, NRSV)

“Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.” (Colossians 3:23, AMP)

5. Forgiveness

Maybe it goes without saying that anger and forgiveness are mutually exclusive terms. An angry person doesn’t forgive – she just wants to get even. Putting off those angry clothes means putting on the clean clothes of extending forgiveness. Forgiveness is neither cheap, nor easy. It can’t be done quickly or hastily. It’s the difference between throwing on a few sweats – and getting dressed up in a tuxedo. Forgiveness takes care and time.

“Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander, along with every other evil. Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:31-32, CEB)

“As holy people whom God has chosen and loved, be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Put up with each other and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:12-13, GW)

6. Kindness

Envy is the evil rot that separates people. The antidote is kindness. To be kind is to celebrate what another has achieved that you haven’t. Kindness extends friendship instead of trying to knock another person down a peg so that you can try and have what they have. Kindness creates connection and heals division.

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogantor rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV)

“And to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love.” (2 Peter 1:7, NCV)

7. Humility

If pride is the root from which all other sinful attitudes break ground, humility is the herbicide that kills that root. To be humble is to know that others have a valuable contribution to give. Humility listens because it doesn’t think it has all the answers. The humble among us quietly serve others without caring if it draws attention to themselves.

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2, NIV)

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10, NKJV)

“God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5, NASB)

Developing Christian character is more than identifying the vices and bad habits of life; it is replacing them with these seven virtues. Cultivating true Christian virtue is in the struggle to be better, and not in the notion that one can achieve perfection. It is the continual wrestling with one’s own shadow-self that allows the virtues to gain a foothold in the soul.

Therefore, church ministry needs to be a place where people are free to struggle, doubt, and wrestle with their inner demons. Genuine ministry is a hospital for the soul, resembling more of the messy triage work of the emergency room, than the sanitized antiseptic room on the top floor who hasn’t seen a patient in days.

Try using these Christian virtues as a way of having a conversation about the nature, direction, and goals of your ministry. Are these virtues evident in your context? Why, or why not? Which one needs the most attention? How will you address it?

Rev. Tim Ehrhardt

Tag: diligence