Are you diligent?

In our Dominican missions preparation meeting the other day, we looked at Proverbs 13:4

Proverbs 13:4 NASBS
The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, But the soul of the diligent is made fat.

Caryn pointed out that the “soul” here refers to life and living and not necessarily a reference to eternal life. Some in “life” crave after things:

Crave: Hebrew “avah”

• Definition: to incline, desire.
• Origin: A primitive root; to wish for.
• Usage: covet, (greatly) desire, be desirous, long, lust (after).

The sluggard (lazy person) craves after the things in life, but in the end has nothing. They have not put the effort in to achieve their goals. Whether the goals are God seeking or not, that’s another conversation

But, for those seeking the things of God, they are described as “diligent”.

Diligent: Hebrew “charuwts”

• Definition: sharp, diligent.
• Origin: passive participle; properly, incised or (active) incisive; hence (as noun masculine or feminine) a trench (as dug), gold (as mined), a threshing-sledge (having sharp teeth); (figuratively) determination; also eager.
• Usage: decision, diligent, (fine) gold, pointed things, sharp, threshing instrument, wall.

Did you catch that? The word for diligent describes a sledge hammer or pick axe, not only that but one that has “sharp teeth”, good for digging trenches or mining for gold.

I ask myself if I am sharpening my pick-axe so that I can prepare to dig for gold? Are you?

Our group will need to sharpen their skills and be determined to “dig for the gold” of our desires: to see souls in the Dominican turn to the Lord, to be of service to the church leadership there by our work, and present the things of God to receptive hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit.

It’s time to be diligent and go to work!