Diligence isn’t a modern word. It isn’t trendy. Because it implies perseverance. It is a never-give-up mentality. In a fast-food, disposable world, diligence is a nearly forgotten word.
** Giving All Diligence**
Diligence, though, is the strengthening motivation behind the traits listed in 2 Peter Chapter 1. They are traits that every Christian should be learning and manifesting in their every day life. Living a life full of faith and virtue, patience and temperance sets us apart (sanctifies) us from those who do not choose to have God as their guide. But they do not all come easily to us, that is why we are challenged to be diligent about growing in them.
*And beside all this, giving all diligence, add to your faith ….*
Peter mentions diligence a few different times in this chapter. Again, it is a word that demands constant effort, focus and continued application. According to Microsoft, the average American has an 8 second attention span. Just 8 seconds. 8 seconds is not diligence. 8 seconds is the opposite of being diligent. In today’s world, diligence is going to demand some inner strength to battle the temptation to give up on these traits after one or two attempts.
Because diligence demands that we stay on point, it requires us to start something and to finish it. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4 that he *finished his course*. Paul was diligent in completing the purpose the Lord gave him to do. He diligently witnessed, encouraged others in the faith, started house churches and discipled and challenged believers to stay the course as well. He was an example of diligence and he encouraged diligence in others.
Jesus is an even better example. He lived to show us what someone who says they have faith in God should act like. Every day. Not just on Sundays or Mondays, but he stayed the course on Tuesday through Saturday, from early morning until the wee hours of the night. Jesus wasn’t just about his public ministry, but his personal one as well.
Jesus taught with His words and with His actions all the time, all day long. He was diligent in fulfilling the Father’s purpose for his life every day. His prayer life was consistent and sacrificial. He treated people with respect and concern. Jesus showed compassion and mercy on the multitudes and also dealt with the personal needs of the individuals who stayed close or drew close to Him. What a great thing that would be if every Christian acted the same way in their personal life as they do in their church life!
What does Peter remind us to be diligent about?
Peter gives us several traits to work on diligently. The list in this first chapter helps us to know where to start.
We start with our faith. * giving all diligence, add to your faith* Before we look at the rest of the list we need to deal with our faith. How are we doing? Are we looking at our problems and sufferings with faith? Do we really trust in him *with all our heart* and believe that the Lord has chosen well for us? Is our first reaction to a new problem faith or fear? Faith or worry? Taking the time to work on our faith before we move down the rest of the list in 2 Peter chapter one will help us grow in all the other areas.
Proverbs 4 tells us to **Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. **
If we blend Peter’s list with Proverbs 4’s challenge, we can see that they are both talking about the same thing. When we start with our heart, and work on the not so pretty things that come out of it, this will lead us to focus on the traits Peter tells us we need to be diligent about-traits like virtue, self-control and patience.
For example, if we lack patience and treat others with a bad attitude because of of it, we can work on patience and our heart at the same time. The process works together like a well-trained team.
In addition to this, 1 Corinthians 3 reminds us that * we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. * God makes us and builds us, but we are responsible for the day-to-day diligent application of what He teaches and changes in us. We are a team with the Lord.
Of course, the Lord never comes up short on being a good team member. We know that Jesus is the perfect coach. He will continue to send us challenging situations until we learn each skill and manifest them in our daily life. Once we have learned them, He will still send us hard times, because in this life we will have problems, but now we will be able to handle them with more faith, patience, and godliness. We will be Olympic champion team members with God, IF we do our part as well in being diligent to look for the lessons in our trials and respond well to them. Then each trial will help us move through the skills that Peter challenges us to learn. We will finish our course, just like Paul and Jesus did.
Choosing diligence will help us face Peter’s list with focus, consistency and faith. It will benefit our relationship with the Lord and it will then pour out onto those around us. Today is always a good day to start!