Diligence is not really a word that sounds very attractive to our modern ears. It is careful and persistent hard work. We tend to like the quick and easy.
I like to watch the Property Brothers with my wife. But I don’t believe it is a show that you binge watch on Netflix because every episode has such a similar layout. The family doesn’t want to renovate, but then they see that they will have to if they want a nice home in their budget. Then when they are convinced that they need to look at houses that need work the phrase, “but that’s a lot of work” will assuredly come out of their mouths.
I find the same attitude toward Scripture often…too often. Rather than doing intellectual heavy lifting and praying for God to give wisdom the hard work is abandoned for something much easier such as more television.
Television is easy. The message is interpreted for us and prepackaged in an easily understood packet. But there is oftentimes hard work involved in our time alone with God and His Word. There are always mindless and easy activities to take part in that would be easier on us. But, here is the crazy thing. Solomon, as he imparts wisdom to us, says that it is diligence in our seeking of wisdom that will protect us from falling into temptation.
You Work, You Ask, God Gives Wisdom
If you will look in your Bible at Proverbs 2 you find it beginning with a lot of conditional statements. Solomon tells his son that if he will do certain things that God will give him wisdom. In fact, here are the conditions that his son is supposed to fulfill.
- “receive my words”
- “treasure up my commandments with you”
- “making your ear attentive to wisdom”
- “inclining your heart to understanding”
- “call out for insight”
- “raise your voice for understanding”
- “seek it [understanding] like silver”
- “search for it [understanding] as for hidden treasures”
If you do all of these things, what then is your prize. “then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:5 ESV).
I have heard it said that we are to “put feet to our prayers”. I think this is a very good illustration of that fact. We are to call out to God for insight and raise our voice for understanding. We pray diligently for wisdom and understanding. We do not do this without working toward it also. So, Solomon is telling us that if we want to be wise then we must do something. We must pray for it and work for it. God blesses this with the gift of wisdom.
The Fruit of Diligence Is A Protection
As Solomon continues he reveals some much needed information. The fruit of our diligence ends up being a protection for us from the wickedness that could ensnare us. The wisdom given to us helps us to “understand righteousness and justice. This understanding works as a protection for us in the midst of incredible evil.
discretion will watch over you
understanding will guard you
delivering you from the way of evil
Then two concrete illustrations are given. The first is wicked men who love to speak evil and do evil (Proverbs 2:13-15). The second is the “forbidden woman” (Proverbs 2:16-19).
I find these illustrations interesting. Solomon just used the two of the hardest situations for people to overcome, peer pressure and sexual sin, and said that diligence in the seeking of wisdom through prayer and hard work will pay off as a protection from them.
Concluding Thought
As I write this post I can’t help but think of messages that are stuff like the 4 S’s of Sexual Temptation or the 5 G’s of Not Falling Into The Wrong Crowd (you can tell I don’t write messages like this because I stink at even making this up). And I have to wonder if we are lacking something very, very important in our struggle against sin. Maybe we’re lacking diligence and the blessing that God gives because of it.
R. Dwain Minor
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