A diligent person has a habit of being able to work hard, carefully, and steadily; working the body and mind without delay. Although diligence requires determination, it is usually associated with work habits, while determination can apply to many areas of your life.
The opposite of diligence is laziness. God refers to the person who lacks diligence as a sluggard or slothful person. A sluggard is a lazy, inactive, idle person.
Pro 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Pro 6:7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Pro 6:8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
Pro 6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Pro 10:26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
Pro 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
Pro 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
A slothful person is inactive and lazy.
Pro 18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
Pro 19:24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
Pro 22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
Pro 24:30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Pro 24:31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
Pro 24:32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
Pro 24:33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
Pro 24:34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
Pro 26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.
Pro 26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
Pro 26:15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
Pro 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.
What kind of speech, attitudes, and behaviors are seen in the life of a diligent person? What habits does the lazy person have?
PERSONAL EVALUATION
Are you a diligent person? Check only those statements below that are things that show in your life now.
- I work hard on my homework so that it is completed neatly and correctly.
- I study diligently for tests and quizzes that I will have in school.
- I work hard and carefully at jobs that I do for my parents.
- I keep my room straight and orderly.
- I get my chores done at home before I play.
- My parents could honestly say that I am a diligent worker.
- I am a diligent worker when doing paid or volunteer work for other people.
- I diligently seek opportunities to share the Word of God.
- I diligently seek to know God’s will for myself during each day.
- I am diligently preparing to be a useful servant of God as an adult.
GOAL SETTING
Only a diligent person will accomplish great things for the Lord. Do you have habits in your life now that will help you to become more diligent in serving the Lord? Set a specific goal to do something that will help you to be more diligent.
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Proverbs 6:6
