Th.5.21.15...Prov.13:1-12...Diligence

Diligence

"The precious possession of a man is diligence." Prov.12:27 NAS

Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything." He was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive." As an inventor, Edison made over 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at perfecting the light bulb (some claim it was 10,000). As the story goes, a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." That's diligence!

Diligence comes from a Hebrew word, meaning "to be sharp." As Edison did, the diligent man sharpens his mind and skills. He gets a bright idea and keeps learning and working to achieve it. He is far from lazy. Proverbs 13:4 says, "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." The diligent seek to sharpen themselves through learning from others and from their own successes and failures. They don't look at failure as fatal or as a sign that God is against them. They actually look at failure as a teacher to sharpen them for success. Here's my acronym for FAILURE- Friendly Angel Imparting Lessons Until Results Emerge. Sadly, most people see failure as an enemy to whom they quickly surrender. They don't learn from failure. Do you? 

It's been asked before, "If you could pursue a goal in which you knew you could not fail, what would you pursue?" That may help you think creatively, without being paralyzed by fear of failure. But perhaps a better question is this, "What would it take to stop you toward that goal?" Obstacles are sure to come. But if you have become unstoppable it doesn't matter. Remember, you are not from the nation of resignation or procrastination, but determination. Determine to be a life-long learner, to keep sharpening yourself. I'm thankful that you are devoted to this "iron sharpening iron" group. Never stop learning and sharpening yourself. That's good advice to pass on to those just graduating from school. Their higher education is just starting. To get hired and keep going higher, keep learning diligently.

Read Prov.13:1-12. You'll notice "diligence" is mentioned in v.4. It's been said that if you want to succeed, greatly increase your failure rate. Try until you triumph as Edison did. Have you invited men to join M3 or to the Savior, but you slacked off because they weren't interested or you feared rejection? Be diligent. Don't let fear freeze you. FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. We are told 365 times in Scripture not to fear- one reminder for every day of the year. So do not fear failure. Learn from it and persevere. Remember, we commend you for your efforts. You even get to give yourself points on the board when you encourage others to join M3 and when you tell others of transformation. You also get to give yourself points for diligently sowing good seeds into your own life via reading and attacking in prayer. You are carrying out the injunction to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" 2 Pet.3:18. Way to grow!

Be diligent. Sharpen yourself to improve in GREAT areas of eternal impact. Notice what Heb.6:10-12 says about this- "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

Ever notice how men will spend lots time and money at the health club? They may even hire a personal trainer to help them improve. That's smart. But many are lazy (the antithesis of being diligent) regarding their spiritual fitness. That's dumb. "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" 1 Tim.4:8. We are here to help train men to multiply manly men. Can you think of more valuable training to get and to invite other men to get? 

Many successful people have given this timely piece of advice- Invest your time and money in lifetime learning. Be diligent. Stay sharp. Don't get dull. Keep learning. The apostle Paul put it this way- "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." 2 Tim.2:15 NAS. 

Darren Hardy knows a little bit about diligence to improve and succeed. He is the CEO of Success magazine and has interviewed hundreds of successful people. He states, "If you’re looking to improve, just reading a bunch of books about improvement isn’t enough. It takes time, persistence, and deliberate practice in a narrow range of activity to truly improve. You don’t succeed just by learning. You have to study, then do." Our M3 blog motivates our studying and our GREAT scoreboard motivates our doing. You're on the right team to grow. Just be diligent. "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress" 1 Tim.4:15. That's the theme verse of our GREAT scoreboard. It's a great thing to see the progress of so many of you.

1.-Will you be diligent and set a goal to score 5 or more points a day in GREAT areas on the scoreboard? If not, why? (Don't become lazy, but imitate those who are doing such and even double that. You will be eternally glad you did!)

2.-Share a time when you diligently sharpened yourself through study or training to achieve a goal or a new job. Or perhaps share a time when your lack of diligence hurt you. 

3.-Write on your MP3 card any verse or phrase that impressed you from Prov.13:1-12 and then be on the look-out to share it with others.


How beautiful to see so many of you being unstoppable, keeping your word of "No Scripture, no sleep." Keeping commitments is the test of our manhood. You are whatever it takes men! You are diligent!


Please give a word of encouragement to the following people were all MIA yesterday- Guillermo, Ismael, Marcos, Nic and Phil. Please give them a call, especially if they are in your fire team.