Hebrews 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Are you spiritually diligent? Most of us know someone who is real lazy at work. The individual does the least amount of work possible in order to receive a paycheck. They are experts of talking about all the work that they have done and they are pros in manipulating others to do their work for them. They take off all the possible time that they can take, and will call in sick at a drop of a hat.

You have no problem calling that individual lazy because it is so obvious to you and others that they are not diligent. However, if God were to examine your heart, is HE going to judge that you have been diligent in pursuing your spiritual walk with HIM? Will HE find that you have been quick to avoid doing your daily Bible reading? Will HE find that you quickly forget to pray? Will HE find that you fail to give to the needs of others when HE has financially rewarded you with extra money?

It is easy in your mind to judge between a diligent and a slothful individual. However, you are not willing to look at your spiritual relationship and judge yourself on the same standard. Do you really think that if you looked at your spiritual walk from the eyes of the Lord that you would be able say with a clear conscience that you have been diligent in pursuing your walk with God?”

It is important that we do not allow ourselves to spiritual become slothful. We must be diligent to pursue the things of God. We must be willing to make the sacrifices that are necessary so that we have the time for the things that are spiritual. As we make the things of God a priority in our life, we establish our steps so that God can bless us in ways we never imagined.

If we desire to be all that we can be for the cause of Christ, it starts with us diligently adding faith and patience to our life. We are not going to have the faith of David, or Abraham, or Daniel the first day that we are saved. These men were able to do great things for God because they had seen God be faithful in the smaller things. These men were blessed by God and given much responsibility that flowed from lives that put the things of God first.

Do you want to obtain the promises of God? Do you want to receive the things that God has promised unto you? Then do not allow Satan to tempt you into remaining at status quo. Instead, change your attitude so that God sees that HE is a priority in your life.

Peter had the power to preach to thousands of people not because of his good looks. Instead, Peter was simply obedient to do what God had instructed him to do and in the Lord’s perfect timing, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and God used Peter to do many mighty miracles. It was because Peter was patient with God that Peter was able to be used of God. Peter was used by God even though he had betrayed Jesus three times. This Peter who was so weak in his own strength was now strong when he was relying upon God.

God is not going to make you accept the HIS promises to you if you would simply obey HIM. God is not going to make you be diligent. God is not going to make you add to your faith and add to your patience. The decision that must be made is wholly your own. The choice is yours to make, will you chose to diligently pursue the things of God, or will you simply hold back and try to do those things that bring God the glory that is due HIS .

Proverbs 31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

Jesus tells a parable where he describes the kingdom of heaven to ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom. Some of the virgins were wise and they took extra oil in case the bridegroom tarried while other virgins were foolish and did not have sufficient oil to wait until the bridegroom appeared. As a result, the foolish virgins were not prepared to meet the bridegroom when he eventually appeared.

Jesus Christ HIMSELF is the bridegroom that we are waiting for. We are his bride, the virgins that are awaiting HIS return. Jesus told us that no man knows the day or the time that HE will return and as such, we must be ready to wait. The lamps in this story are symbolized by our life. Jesus told us that we are to let our light to shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Heavenly Father.

If we are not careful, we can let our light diminish because of our failure to walk the Christian walk. If we allow the light of our life to diminish, then we are just like the foolish women who allowed their light to go out just before the bridegroom returned.

In the same way that a virtuous women does not allow her candle to go out by night, so too must we demonstrate our virtue by not allowing our spiritual light to be diminished by our trials and temptations. When we compromise our standards and allow ourselves to live a life apart from the power of God, we allow the light of God to be snuffed out of our life. If the world looks at you and does not see the light of God, then you have allowed the your light to be put out.

You think that no one will notice if you act like the world just this one time. However, Satan will never allow you to forget the time that you deliberately sinned and failed to obey God. Furthermore, Satan also knows how to use your time of weakness to be just the time when someone is looking at you. Satan will then attempt to use your lack of light to show them that they should not accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

In 2 Peter, we are told that we are to diligently add knowledge to our virtue. It is not enough to just desire to be pure and to live a life totally pleasing to the Lord. By taking the time each day to add knowledge of the words of God to our life, we enable ourselves to be strengthened by God so that we can live a life that enables our light to brightly shine for God.

We must be diligent to ensure that Satan is not able to point to the times that we were foolish as examples as to why Christians are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. We need to be like the five wise virgins who properly prepared for the long wait so that they were ready when the bridegroom returned. Just as the five wise virgins took on extra oil, so too must we spend extra time in the word so that we are prepared for the long battles that we must face so that God is glorified by our lives.

If we do not take the time to prepare our lives for the trials and temptations that we face, then we are just like the foolish virgins and we will lose out on the rewards that God has in store for us. We know that trials and temptations will come our way, the question is, are we preparing ourselves today for the times that our light will be in jeopardy in the future? Are you wise or are you foolish? Are you preparing to faithfully serve God whether or not Christ returns in this life or are you just trying to see how little work you can do in hopes that Christ returns soon?

Proverbs 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

A virtuous individual is one who is diligent. When others look at you, do they understand you to be a diligent individual or do they think you are lazy. In Proverbs 6, we are instructed to look towards the ant to see diligence. The ant does not have a leader, but it works diligently to ensure that it has food to eat throughout the year.

Are you diligent to get up early each morning to ensure that you have time to do your devotions before you go to work? Are you diligent at work so that when others look at you, they know that there is something different about you? Are you diligent at home, working with a joyful attitude seeking to serve all whom you come in contact with?

If you are in business for yourself, you understand the importance of being diligent. If you are not diligent, then you will not eat. However, while you can make the correlation between working hard and financial remuneration, many people have a hard time seeing the correlation between being diligent in their Bible studies and the positive effect it has upon their life.

Your spiritual health should be more important to you then the dollars in your bank account. Everything in this world will soon be over and your relationship with God will be all that you have on judgment day. If you have a terrible relationship with God, then you will have done many things that are displeasing to HIM and you will be accountable to HIM. However, if you fear the Lord and diligently studied the word of God in order to understand how you are supposed to live your life, then come judgment day, you will have less to fear.

An individual who is diligent in serving God will naturally be diligent in their daily work. However, the reverse is not always true; a person who is diligent in their work is not necessarily diligent in their daily Bible studies.

Why do you think David had faith that God was going to deliver Goliath into his hands? It was not because he was diligent in watching the sheep of his father. David had spent many hours alone with God and had developed a heart after the heart of God. It was because of his relationship with God that David was able to speak boldly to the man who desired to kill him.

Do you have the faith of Daniel who knew that he could be thrown into a den of lions and God would protect him? Remember, Daniel was faithful to pray three times a day. It was because of the diligence of Daniel that he understood that God was not finished with him yet and as such, he could peacefully go into the den of lions knowing that the lions could not touch him.

The reason why you do not have the faith of Peter to walk on water, or the faith of Moses to part the Red Sea, or the faith of John to heal a lame man is because you do not have a personal relationship with God. Yes, you claim to serve HIM. Yes, you do spend some time reading the Bible and praying. However, your relationship with God is not what it is supposed to be. You spend more time worrying about the things of this world then you spend on the things of God.

You need to be diligent to put the things of God first in your life. As you add knowledge of the ways of God, your relationship with God will grow. The greater your relationship with God, the more expansive your ministry will be because not only do you know how to hear the still small voice of God, but you also have the power of God in your life.

Proverbs 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

God expects you to be diligent. If you are diligent, HE will reward you. In 2 Peter 1:4-7, we are told about eight precious promises that you can obtain. The eight precious promises are faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. However, you do not get these precious promises by being the fastest athlete, the smartest student, or by being the most beautiful baby. These precious promises are obtained by being diligent.

God told Noah to build a boat so that he and his family might be spared the destruction. Noah diligently labored with his family to build the boat. It was the diligence of Noah that spared his family. Noah could have believed God all he wanted, but until he put some diligence to his faith, he had nothing.

Scripture tells us that Ruth was a virtuous woman. However, we must remember that Ruth first was seen in the field diligently gathering that which was dropped before she found favor in the eyes of Boaz.

Solomon is known as the wisest individual who ever lived. However, before he received such great knowledge, we see that he was diligent in making sure that his heart was right before God.

God told Jeremiah to give wine to the house of the Rechabites. These men refused the wine because they were obeying the instruction of their father. The Rechabites were diligent in their labors and they were faithful in their obedience and God spared then when the enemy came and plundered the land.

Simeon had been told of God that he would see the Son of God before he died. Simeon had to be patient and wait upon the timing of God. However, while Simeon waited, he was diligent to serve the Lord.

Paul was a godly man who went out and preached the gospel and helped many churches to form. However, we know that before God called Paul, Saul was a diligent man who persecuted the Christians that he despised. The diligence of Saul was one reason he was called.

Joseph was a man who loved his family and he was quick to forgive them for the evil that they had done to him. The important thing that we see from the life of Joseph is not only how he showed brotherly kindness to those who did him wrong, but that he was always diligent no matter where God put him. There were probably days that Joseph would have loved to do evil to his brothers, but he always desired to do what was right in the eyes of God.

John is known as the disciple that Jesus loved. The subject of love is very prominent in the books that John wrote. However, before Jesus called John to be his disciple, we see that John was diligent working as a fisherman.

The great men and women of the bible were used mightily of the Lord. If you study their lives, you see that they were not lazy individuals but that they were diligent. You need to follow their example and be diligent in adding knowledge of the ways of God to your life so that you might add the character that God desires to see in you and so that HE might use you in a mighty way.

Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Are you diligent in your work or would others characterize you as a sloth? Joseph was a diligent man and it did not matter where he was, he gained favor in the sight of those whom he was working for and they gave him great authority. When Joseph was a slave to Potiphar, Potiphar put him in charge of his house. When Joseph was a prisoner, the prison guard put him in charge of the prison. When Joseph interpreted the dream of Pharaoh, Pharaoh put him in charge of the entire country.

Joseph did not allow his circumstances to dictate his attitude about work. Instead, Joseph determined in his heart that he was going to be a testimony to those around him and he was going to be diligent regardless of his circumstances. Even though Joseph faced difficult circumstances, we see that Joseph was like a vine that went up and over the wall.

In the nation of Israel, God set up a system for when an Israelite could not pay their debts. If an Israelite could not pay his debts then he would become a bondservant. No longer was this man free to earn a living how he wished. Instead, he had to answer to a master every single day and make his master more money. The bondservant had not been diligent in earning an income so now he had to serve another.

Think about your own life? Are you diligent? You ought to be the most diligent individual in the office. It does not matter where you are or what you are doing, you should work so hard that your life is a testimony to God and others. One of the problems with the world today is that we live in a society with a welfare mentality. People think that they are owed a job or that they are owed all the luxuries of life.

If you have a mentality that you are owed a job or that you are owed a certain amount of money, then you have the wrong attitude. When Noah was told to build the Ark, he had to work for many years to complete the job God had told him to do. For many years, Noah was mocked by the people for doing something that appeared to be foolish. However, Noah remained diligent to the calling of God and in the end, the testimony of the life of Noah was revealed.

Like Noah, the rewards of being diligent are not always immediate. Instead, God can sometimes wait to give you the fruit of your labor. God sometimes allows HIS children to go through trials to test their character and their faith in HIM. When God allows you to be tested, you must continue to live your life according to HIS principles.

The first place you need to be diligent in is your study of the word of God. If you are not diligent in your adding knowledge of the ways of God, why do you think God should bless you with the desires of your heart?

A diligent man is able to do more every day because they prioritize their life so that the most important things are accomplished. Do you prioritize your time with God so that you spend adequate time with the Lord each day? Do you take the time to talk with God about other things other than your Christmas list? When was the last time you asked God to show you how HE desires you to serve HIM today?

Proverbs 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
In this passage, we see the benefits of those who attend unto the words of God and who incline their ears to the sayings of God. Those who seek after the words of God shall find fulfilling life. When you seek after the things of the world, it is real easy to be distracted by worldly things and not experience the joys of life.
You must seek first the kingdom of God if you are going to learn to say like Paul said that no matter what circumstances he found himself in, he had learned to be content. Paul did not talk about contentment when he was on some fancy vacation on a beach soaking up the sunshine; Paul was speaking about contentment when he was in prison. Paul had taken the time to put the Lord Jesus Christ first in HIS life and as a result, Paul understood what life was really all about.
The words of God will give you life; they help you see what God desires you to do. God will allow you to face difficult times; it is during these times that you need the strength to rely upon God and the direction that HE has shown you. If you have not sought the words of God for your life, when you hit the storms of life, the storms will make your life miserable.
In order to find the words of God, you must seek after them. You must understand the treasure that you have when you obtain that which God has promised you. If you do not understand the value that the words of God has upon your life, you are not going to seek after hearing the voice of God with the diligence necessary in order to find it. If you do not diligently seek to find the voice of God for your life, then you will not truly experience the life that God has for you.
If you seek for life you will not find it. If you seek after the things of God, you will find life. When Solomon was seeking to please God, he received wisdom and life. However, when he started allowing his foreign wives to pull him away from seeking God, the people whom God had given him to guide no longer appreciated his leadership.
There are going to be times in your life where God speaks very clear to you like he did with Samuel. Samuel was so busy serving Eli that he almost missed the voice of God. However, God was patient with Samuel and through Eli, Samuel learned to hear the voice of God. From a very young age, Samuel was used of God to draw the attention of the people back to HIM. The true purpose of the life of Samuel was not to serve Eli but was to have a close personal relationship with God and to use that relationship to bring others to HIM.
When was the last time that you sat down and asked God to speak to you? Did you tell God that you were not going to leave until HE showed HIMSELF strong in your life? You need to seek after God. You need to add to your life the knowledge of the ways of God. As you seek to put God first, that knowledge will give you life. However, if you are looking for the world to please you, life will be hallow and you will always be chasing the next rainbow. There are great benefits to losing your life for the cause of Christ. If you lose yourself for God, you will find the life worth living.

Acts 27:40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

Paul was a prisoner on board a ship bound for Italy. However, the ship found itself in a terrible storm which caused everyone not to eat for 14 days. The storm was so fierce that those onboard had not seen the sun or the stars during this time.

Paul had encouraged everyone onboard the ship that their lives were going to be spared even though the ship was going to be wrecked. Those onboard the ship saw an island and a river coming out of the island. They determined that the best place to attempt to land the ship would be to attempt to go up the river. Once they made up their minds that this is where they were going to go, they could not turn back. These sailors made up their minds and then committed the ship on the course it was to take.

As a result of the choice these men made, the ship ran upon some rocks and was soon destroyed. Evidently, the river flowing into the sea was not very deep and thus before the ship could get close enough to shore to offload those onboard, the ship was destroyed.

Every day people make decisions like these sailors made. They choose a path that they are going to take and they do not look back and proceed along their way. The problem is that they do not seek God to discover what HE desires them to do. As a result, sometimes they are lucky and their plans result in great success and sometimes they end in utter destruction.

You have to commend the resoluteness of these sailors, when they made up their mind, the followed the path that they chose to the very end. It is sad to see so many Christians not demonstrate the same kind of determination when it comes to doing what God shows them to do. Christ commanded that No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62). As a Christian, you need to have the determination that these sailors presented, once you see the direction God has for you, you proceed full speed ahead until God shows you otherwise. You cannot afford to allow Satan to distract you from fulfilling the purposes of God.

Remember the wife of Lot. She had been told that they were to flee the city. She was told not to look back. Yet nonetheless, the attraction of the things she left was so strong that she violated the will of God and looked back. Her sin resulted in her own death. In addition, it also opened the door for both of her remaining two daughters to have a child by their father.

David tells us that we are to commit our ways unto the Lord, that we are to trust in HIM, and that we are to allow HIM to bring it to pass (Psalms 37:5). How can we expect to receive the rich rewards that come to those who put God first in their life if we do not stop and rid ourselves of the influences of the world? You must make a decision that you are going to rely upon God. You cannot do it on your own, but as you take each step, the grace of God will be right beside you.

How can you commit to do the will of God if you have not taken the time to understand the ways of God? Once you commit to do HIS perfect will, you need to daily add knowledge of the ways of God so as to give you the strength each day not to look back. Do not be like the sailors who simply made a decision and went with it, instead, hear the voice of God and then commit yourself to follow that path and allow God to bless your path.

Ruth 2:7b so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she tarried a little in the house.

Scripture tells us that Ruth was a virtuous woman and that the entire community recognized the virtue that dwelt within her. One of the things that Ruth did in order to demonstrate to all who saw her the inward character of her heart was that she was diligent in her work. Ruth was gleaning in Boaz’ field and when he showed up, he saw Ruth. He asked his servants who this woman was and his servants not only told Boaz who Ruth was, but also informed him on how diligent of a worker she was. Ruth had evidently been working for many hours in the hot sun, not taking any breaks and this really impressed Boaz’ servants. They were probably not use to seeing gleaners who were diligent.

Because Ruth was not like every other individual who gleaned but instead was diligently working to gather as much as she possibly could, those who saw Ruth understood that there was something different about Ruth. Ruth understood that the harvest season was very short and the winter long and as such, she desired to obtain as much as she possibly could during the time of harvest in order to provide for Naomi and herself.

You would be surprised at the impact you have upon those around you. People are watching how you act closer then you think. You cannot slack off but instead must be diligent in your work so as to reveal to others the inward character that dwells within you. You are not on this earth simply to see what you can get for yourself. You are here on this earth for the purpose of glorifying God. You must live your life so that when the world sees you, they see the character of Christ. Do you think that the world sees Christ in you when you are being a sloth? Do you think that the world sees Christ in you when you are being lazy? Do you think that the world sees Christ in you when you are living only for today and not preparing for the future?

You are instructed to add virtue to your life. Adding virtue is something that you must do on a daily basis. Rather than making a soft choice, you must be prepared to work hard and be diligent so that when the world sees you, they know that there is something different about you. Your life must be a testimony to the world that those who strive to put Christ first are not like everyone else.

You are not to be striving to live your life just as everyone else lives his or her life. It is not your job to see how well you can blend in with the world. Instead, your focus on life should be to see how you could distinguish yourself from the world. You will distinguish yourself from the world when you practice diligence. A person who is diligent is a prize employee to an employer. An employer may not understand why you are diligent, but they will notice that you are different.

God was able to bless Ruth because she was willing to demonstrate to the community that she was not like every other Moabite. Because Ruth demonstrated virtue in her life, God was able to use her and bless her in ways that she never imagined when she made the difficult choice to do what was right and not what was comfortable. You do not know what blessings God has for you if you would only put HIM first and strive to live your life for HIS glory. You may face some challenges but God is with you.

Proverbs 31:27b and eateth not the bread of idleness.

The eighth benefit that Solomon would receive in marrying a virtuous woman would be that she would continue to be a diligent woman. One of the many characteristics that Solomon was to look for in his future wife was that she was a diligent woman. Just because a person is diligent today, does not mean that they will be diligent tomorrow. However, Solomon was not simply looking for diligence in a wife, he was looking for virtue and one of the qualities he was looking for virtue would be found in diligence.

If a person just has diligence, they can quickly not become diligent when they grow weary or they just become board with what they are doing. However, a person who is virtuous understands that they are accountable to God and thus fills their thinking with the things of God. As a result, their diligence does not just come from their liking what they are doing; they demonstrate diligence because it is a way of life.

Solomon had a lot of responsibilities filling his life. He needed a wife who would be diligent to help encourage him to be diligent. If his wife was idle, then her idleness would naturally rub off on him as he was around her. However, if they were both diligent, then they would maximize their time here on earth and do as much for God collectively as would be possible.

If one of them were idle, then it would harm the relationship. Imagine a pair of ox attached to a yoke. If one ox decides to stop pulling, it will greatly hamper the other ox from completing the job. The ox that is working must either stop or it must drag the other ox in addition to dragging the burden. If the working ox starts dragging the non-working ox, then both oxen with become injured as a result of their yoke rubbing them wrong.

Solomon needed to marry a woman who was virtuous and not one who was simply diligent. By marrying a woman who was virtuous, not only would she be demonstrating the quality of diligence but she also would continue to demonstrate the quality of diligence throughout their life. Solomon did not marry a virtuous woman. Because Solomon not following his mother’s advise, his ministry was diminished.

God has a purpose for your life. You need to associate with virtuous people in order to fulfill the task that God has set before you. First you must add virtue to your life and then look for virtuous people to assist you. Do not be fooled by people who demonstrate great qualities, because great qualities can fade with time. Instead, you can use those great qualities to see if they have added virtue to their life. If they have taken the time to add virtue, then their life will be full of character that will last.

If you desire for your life to be all that it can be, then you must be careful that you associate with those who have a common vision and have demonstrated that they have added virtue to their life. You do not want to associate with an individual who halfway through the race stops. Instead, you need to associate with those who carefully have counted the cost and have the fortitude to finish the race that God has set before them. You can control whether you have virtue but you cannot control whether someone else has added virtue. Nonetheless, you can choose to associate with those who are virtuous.

Proverbs 31:24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

The second benefit that Solomon would receive by marrying a virtuous woman would be that she would not change just because she was married. The virtuous woman prior to her marriage was an active individual who learned several trades and was diligent to work rather then remain idle while waiting for a husband. Now that she is married, she continues to be diligent and finds ways to use the skills that she learned in her youth to help support her family. The virtuous woman does not quickly forget the traits that increased her worth in the eyes of her suitor.

Circumstances in your life may change, yet if you have added virtue to your life, people will see a consistency in your life. The inward character that is a result of adding virtue to your life will enable you to live your life in such a way that others will understand that there is something different about you. Just because circumstances change in your life, they will see the same diligence and desire to fulfill God’s purpose for their life.

Your life is like a ship in the midst of a sea. Sometimes it will be traveling in smooth waters and sometimes it will be traveling in the midst of a storm. Sometimes it will have a light cargo and other times it will be heavily laden. However, regardless of the weather and regardless of its burden, it is the duty of the ship to continue to sail straight ahead to its intended destination.

When you add virtue to your life, people will see that you are different. Virtue will help create a consistency in you that will stand the test of time. Trials will come and go in your life, yet you will consistently put the will of God first because you have set your mind upon the things of God; you are living your life for HIS glory and the storms you face are mere distractions that attempt to distract you from HIS perfect will.

The circumstances in the virtuous woman’s life have now changed yet she continues to exhibit the qualities of diligence. While her circumstances have changed, she is still actively seeking for ways to ensure that she remains a productive member of society and she is not willing to sit idly by quickly departing from the mind of the community. As a virtuous woman she increased her value that caused her husband to seek her and as a virtuous woman, she continues to live her life so that she remains valuable.

Others are looking at you to see if they too should make a commitment to God. Your life may be one of the only testimonies that they see that truly reflects the light of God. Others will observe your life and see how your faith stands the test of time. If you remain vigilant for the cause of Christ regardless of the trials that beset you, then they may be convinced that they need to change and seek the things of God.

In order to be all that you can be for God, you must add virtue to your life and you must put on the mind of Christ. It is easy to allow your relationship with God to wane as circumstances change your life. However, it is your desire to think on the things of God that will enable you to continue to pursue the things of God even though your circumstances have changed.

Proverbs 31:19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

The tenth characteristic of virtue Solomon was to look for in a woman he desired to marry was that she demonstrates a humble spirit in that no work was below her station in life. Several commentators on the Bible indicate that at this time in Jewish history it was the servant’s job to work with the spindle and distaff. However, the virtuous woman that Solomon was to look for would be a woman who was not only willing to work with her hands but that no job was too lowly for her and that by her example, she would teach her servants diligent working habits. The virtuous woman that Solomon was looking for not only was willing to work, but she was capable of working many different trades and thus was able to help wherever the need arose.

When you add virtue to your life, you put on the mind of Christ and change your perspective for your life. No longer are you to be a respecter of persons, but instead you must see all people as God’s creation. While God may not have given others the high calling that HE has given you, they are still created by HIM for a purpose. No person or job should ever be below you.

You understand that Jesus told you that “if any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” Not only did Jesus teach you to demonstrate humility here on this earth, HE also demonstrated humility by his actions. At the last supper, Jesus humbled HIMSELF and washed his disciples feet. Jesus could have commanded any of the disciples to wash his feet or HE could have had an angel appear and wash HIS’ feet. Yet Jesus understood that HE had to demonstrate that in order to be first, HE had to put others first. Jesus was an example to us that no job was to lowly that even the Son of God could not do.

Whether you are an employer or an employee, when you have virtue in your life, you should consider no task to trivial for your position. It does not matter who you are, Jesus set an example that you should not give more respect to an individual because of their title. Instead, you must treat everyone the same and you must be willing to humble yourself in order to make others great.

The virtuous woman understood that while she did not have to work with her hands and spin wool and flax, she chose to work with her hands so that her servants were well trained and her house was prosperous. The virtuous woman was willing to demonstrate to her servants that she appreciate their work and did not consider it trivial but that she saw it as such a vital part of her ministry that she was well versed in their trade and was willing to assist them fulfill their duties.

Joseph was given a high calling yet the Lord allowed him to be a servant and a slave. It does not matter what God has called you to do, you must be willing to humble yourself and to put other people first. You have taken the name of Christ by calling yourself a Christian. However, have you taken on the mind of Christ and demonstrated to the world the qualities of virtue by humbling yourself and by treating all individuals as equals? If you take on the name of Christ, then you must live your life as HE lived HIS life. You must be an example to the world of the character of Christ.

Proverbs 31:18a She perceiveth that her merchandise is good:

The eighth characteristic of virtue that Solomon was to look for in a woman he desired to marry was that the work of her hands be quality. You do not have to look far to find an individual who does the minimal amount of work in order to get by. However, when Solomon was looking for a spouse, he was to look for a woman who was diligent in her work, a woman who took pride in what she did and who did not cut corners.

Because you serve a living God, you understand that you are accountable to HIM for every thought, action and deed. When you add virtue to your life, you are now thinking upon the things of God which means that when you are working, you should have a desire to do the best that you can because you understand that God is being reflected to the world through you.

Solomon wrote many proverbs about the benefits of doing your job right. In Proverbs 22:29 he wrote, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” In Proverbs 11:1 he wrote, “A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.” In Proverbs 20:11 he wrote, “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”

Those around you will see the quality of your work. If you slack in your work and do not put out the quality of work that others expect of you, your testimony will diminish. You are accountable to God for your actions and while you might be able to slack off for a period of time, your sins will find you out. When you have virtue in your life, you understand that one of your purposes is to demonstrate to the world that you are different so that when the world sees you, they see God.

The virtuous woman is one who takes the time to ensure that the works of her hands are good. Because the works of her hands are good, her reputation will be good in the community. When Ruth came and meet Boaz by night, Boaz commented to Ruth that “all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.” Ruth had developed a quality reputation and Boaz understood that her reputation would not be tarnished if he married this foreign woman because her reputation.

While you may not be a sluggard, if you are friends with a sluggard or your spouse is a sluggard, the world will look at you and will associate your character with those who are near you. This is one reason why Solomon was instructed to find a wife among those who understand the importance of having a good reputation by producing quality work. Solomon’s reputation would be incorporated with the reputation of his wife, if his wife had a good reputation, so would he, if she had a bad reputation, his would be tarnished.

You have an obligation to God to ensure that your life demonstrates that you produce quality work. In addition, you have an obligation to ensure that those you associate with also have demonstrated to God and the world that the quality of their work is pleasing to the Lord. The world knows you by the quality of your work. You must be diligent in your work so that God can use you. God desires to reveal HIMSELF to the world through you and the testimony of your life must reveal that you have added virtue to your life.

Proverb 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

The fifth manifestation of virtue that Solomon was to look for in a woman he desired to marry was diligence. Solomon was instructed to examine the evidences of a young ladies life to ensure that her life demonstrated that she was virtuous. The virtuous woman will demonstrate a desire to serve rather then be served. The virtuous woman will demonstrate a desire to be productive rather then be lazy.

This virtuous woman that Solomon was to look for could have stayed in bed and allowed her maidens to give her meat. However, Solomon was to look for the woman who demonstrated virtue through her actions of being diligent. Her actions needed to demonstrate that she was not a sluggard but a diligent woman. Solomon was not just looking for a wife, but he was looking for a helpmate, a helpmate who could assist him in fulfilling God’s calling for his life. If she demonstrated a desire to work, serve, and to stay busy, then those characteristics probably would not change and Solomon would have found someone who would make a good spouse.

If virtue is in your heart and mind, there is no room for you to be a sluggard. When you add virtue to your life, you put on the mind of Christ and it becomes your desire to put the things of God first in your life. If the things of God are truly first in your life, you will never have enough hours in the day to do all the things you need to do.

Can you imagine a solider who refuses to prepare his weapon, who refuses to stand watch, who does not drill, and who refuses to do anything for others but insists that everyone serves him. Such a solider would not last very long on the battlefield because he would not be prepared and because there would be no loyalty among his fellow soldiers to watch his back. Such a soldier is doomed for failure.

Whether you are looking for a spouse or looking for a good friend, one of the outward manifestations of virtue that you should look for in their life is diligence. If the other individual is not diligent, then you should be alerted to the fact that there might be a significant character deficiency that will eventually manifest itself in the relationship.

Why would you want to make a close relationship with a person who had no desire to work? Every relationship at one point of time is going to go through a situation that puts that relationship on trial. If one party is a slothful individual who does not demonstrate diligence in their life, what makes you think that they will be willing to fight to ensure that the relationship remains? What makes you think that they will work with you to assist you in overcoming the trials that you face in your own life?

Solomon was not looking for a woman who able to cook. Solomon could hire a cook anytime he wanted. Solomon was looking for actions that demonstrated that the woman was virtuous and thus ensure that the relationship would work. You cannot read a persons mind to see if their thoughts are upon God, but you can look at their actions and see if their actions conform to a lifestyle that is pleasing to God. Diligence is just one characteristic that should be evident in you if virtue is in your life.

Proverbs 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

The third characteristic that Solomon was to look for in a wife that would help reveal her virtue was her work habits. Solomon was instructed to look for a bride who not only understood how to work but actually enjoyed working. Solomon was to look for a bride who was diligent, one who had a desire to ensure that her life was productive. If Solomon’s bride was not a productive member of society prior to their marriage, then what makes him think that she would be in a position to help him fulfill his purpose in life? If she is unwilling to do any manual labor now, why should he think that she would be willing to do manual labor once they were married?

One who is virtuous understands that God has only given them a limited time here on this earth. Because of the limited time, it is important that one redeem the time God has given wisely. An individual who is lazy and who refuses to work is a self-centered individual who is not concerned with their impact on the world but instead is only concerned about themselves. Such an attitude can be very damaging to a relationship since marriage is about two becoming one, not about having your spouse become your personal servant.

When you add virtue to your life, your perspective on life should change. No longer should you be concerned about what is best for you, but instead what is best so that you can fulfill God’s purpose for your life. As you diligently strive to do the will of God, the outward manifestation of your working habits is just one clue to those around you that you are a man or woman of character.

It is important to understand that since Solomon was to become king, any wife that he had would not be expected to work but would be waited on by a multitude of servants. However, Solomon was warned that if he married a woman of privilege who did not understand how to be diligent and how the common people put bread on the table, then such a woman would not be helpful to Solomon as he ruled as king. When Solomon wrote the book Song of Solomon, the woman that he fell in love with was not a woman of means, but a woman who was diligent in working outdoors in a vineyard.

A lazy individual thinks only of themselves and not about others. An individual who is unwilling to work is thus expecting others to meet their needs. Such an individual will not make a good spouse nor will they make a very good friend. Why would anyone desire to be around a person who is always expecting others to bail them out of their problems. Would you desire to be close friends with a person who you know that every couple weeks is going to ask you to help them out of their current problem?

It is your duty to add virtue to your life. Virtue will change your life so that one of the evidences will be that you are diligent and find joy in working. You cannot make someone else demonstrate virtue in their life but you can seek to fellowship with those who demonstrate qualities of character. While you cannot make someone else demonstrate virtue, you do have control over your life to ensure that you are putting God first in your life so that HE is glorified through you. Whether you are looking for a spouse or just desire a good friend, ensure that virtue is first evident in your life and then look for virtue in the lives of those around you.

Acts 17:32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

Paul is in the city of Athens and he was grieved at how the city was given to idolatry. Paul preached the word and they gave him the opportunity to share his new doctrine with everyone. Paul at Mars’ hill did open their eyes about the unknown God that they did ignorantly worship. At the conclusion of Paul’s preaching, some mocked, some desired to hear more, while a few believed. However, Paul did not stick around to preach again, instead he proceeded on to Corinth were he waited for Silas and Timothy.

Paul did not stay in Athens to preach again to those individuals who desired to hear Paul again. This was a one-time opportunity for the citizens of Athens to hear and believe. They had to make a choice whether they believed or whether they desired to continue to serve all their gods made with their own hands. Faith is a complete commitment to God. You cannot waiver, you cannot hold back.

God sometimes gives us single opportunities to demonstrate our faith to HIM. While God is patient, and HE is slow to wrath, there are going to arise some instances where you will not receive a second opportunity. It is at these times that you must rely upon your faith in God and trust in HIM and not lean upon your own understanding. You cannot take the time to fully figure out all the possibilities.

When the doors on the ark shut and the rain started to descend, it was too late for the people of the earth to repent and join Noah. When the people shouted, and the walls came down, it was too late for anyone else to join Rahab in her house. Ruth had to choose whether she was following her mother-in-law Naomi or returning to her parent’s house.

Sometimes you do not have a lot of time to think through all your options. God simply desires to know if you are going to obey and trust in HIM. You may have the one opportunity to demonstrate your faith before HE passes you by in order to use someone else to do great things for HIM. The citizens of Athens liked what they heard, but they were not ready to fear God more then their fellow man. They allowed their fear of man to cause them to desire to hear more before they made a decision to follow God.

God desires that you demonstrate your faith in HIM by instant obedience to HIS still small voice. God does not desire that you spend your time trying to figure HIM out. If you have to stop and figure out all the possibilities of how God might work before you allow HIM to start to work in your life, you are not living by faith but instead, you are living by your own understanding. Scripture tells you that you are not to lean on your own understanding but instead that you are to trust in the Lord with all your might.

While there may be times that God is patient with you and gives you time to determine HIS perfect will for your life, there are times where you will not have that opportunity. It is crucial that at these times you are carefully attuned to the voice of God and that you learn to instantly obey HIM so as not to lose an opportunity to demonstrate your faith in God. Be diligent to seek God daily so that you know HIS voice and you can quickly obey HIS commandments.

Acts 17:11-12 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Paul and Silas came unto the synagogue in Berea and they preached the gospel of Christ. The Bereans were not like the Jews in Thessalonica who did not believe and made life hard for those who did believe. Instead, they heard a new doctrine and they studied it. Because they were diligent and studied what Paul and Silas had to say, they realized that these men were speaking the truth. Because the words were confirmed, they believed.

Paul and Silas were able to participate in seeing God change many lives. They were able to rejoice that many had turned from their wicked ways. They understood that it was not anything that they had done. They were simply the tools God used to cause this town to search for God�s will. God is always the One who receives the glory for the increase.

The Bereans understood one very important thing about faith. They learned that it is not important what man tells us God says; it is important what God actually says. If you are going to believe in something that you cannot see, it is better to hear it straight from God rather than placing all your faith in something that was told you by another.

The Bereans were diligent researchers. They understood that if they were to take on this new doctrine, they might be persecuted. They needed to know deep down in their hearts that what they believed was correct. As such, they researched, and upon researching, they believed what their research revealed and they were saved.

Would you go to a car lot and buy simply because the car salesman told you it was the best car? You understand that the salesman’s job is to sell you something and it is up to you to ensure that your needs are meet and you get a good deal. A careful buyer will spend many hours researching what car meets their needs. They will examine their budget and they will determine what the fair price for the car is. Then, once they have researched; then they will make a purchase.

You have an obligation to God to search HIS scriptures. You cannot rely upon the words of others to sustain your Christian life. If all you did was listen to other preachers tell you what the scripture says, your faith will be weak. God desires that you make your faith your own and the only way you can do that is by making the effort to study the scriptures for yourself. You must study the word of God to understand what you believe.

Do not believe what someone else tells you is perfect doctrine just because everyone around you believes it. Do not believe it simply because your parents believe and your grandparents believe it. No, God desires that you study HIS word. Your results should be like the Bereans who discovered that Paul was telling them the truth. However, now they were in a position where they could defend the truth because they had searched out the truth. Your faith will not be developed without you taking the time to study God’s word and to make HIS words personal. As God speaks to you through the word, HE will be glorified and your faith with increase.

Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Everyone is willing to be diligent and pursue that which they desire. If it is something they want, watch out, they are going to try every means possible in order to obtain. You will not have to worry about them being lazy. Furthermore, even if they run into some obstacles while they are trying to obtain that which they want, they will continue on because of the hope of obtaining that which they desire.

That is the attitude that God desires us to have towards spiritual things. We are told that we are to always have an answer for the hope that is within us. You have the blessed hope of eternal life with Christ Jesus. However, do you pursue this hope like you pursue earthly possessions or treasures. Neither Jesus, the disciples, nor the apostles said that living the Christian life would be easy. You are going to have to be diligent to pursue the things of God. You will demonstrate your diligence through faith and patience. If you use faith and patience, you will inherit the promises of God.

God does not lie. God has promised us many things. Some things were promised to everyone who believes and others are special promises for just you to receive. However, if you want to receive the inheritance of God, you must be willing to demonstrate your faith with patience. The word patience here means longsuffering. No one likes to hear the word longsuffering. However, there are things that God desires to give us but HE desires that we wait a long time and suffer many things in order to receive.

Abraham was promised that he would be the father of many nations. However, this was not a promise that he received quickly. Instead Abraham had to trust God. Abraham had to wait on God to perform that which God had promised. God promised Abraham a son, and God was faithful regardless of all the suffering Abraham had to endure.

A mother tells her daughter that she can receive a particular doll if she cleans her bedroom, the bathroom, kitchen, and living room for the next month. The little girl agrees and daily she does her cleaning. However, what the girl did not realize was that her parents on several occasions during the month were having company over, and thus the cleaning responsibilities were expected to be completed at a higher standard then she originally thought was within her ability. Nonetheless, mother promised a doll and the girl completed her month and received her doll. The girl was diligent to pursue with trust and longsuffering the doll her mother promised.

The promises of God are before you. Are you willing to obtain them? Do not treat the promises of God like the fox in Aesop’s fables which upon not being able to obtain the grapes determined that they were sour. The promises of God are not easily obtained. The promises of God are for those who diligently pursue them. The promises of God are still sweet, no matter what you call them. Do not let Satan tempt you into thinking that the promises of God have no value. Instead, you must with faith and longsuffering pursue those things that God has promised so that you may enjoy the blessings of fulfilling God’s will. You have the hope of God, be diligent and obtain.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

What is our purpose here on this earth? Our purpose on this earth is to bring glory to our Maker. We bring glory to our Maker when we live our lives in such a manner that the world through us sees an Almighty God. It is our duty to live our lives so that HE who made us is pleased with us. However, as we study this verse, we learn something very important about pleasing our Maker. We cannot please our Maker if we do not have faith.

It is impossible to please God without faith. While there are many things you can do, you cannot please God absent faith. So how do we please God by faith? This verse breaks out faith in the simplest form. If we but follow this verse, we will be assured that we will not only live our life by faith but more importantly that we will please God.

First thing you must do is you must come to God. You cannot sit back and wait for God to come to you. Remember, HE is perfect and you are a sinner who has fallen short of HIS glory. You have sinned; you need to make the effort to find God. Once you find God, you can confess your faults and seek HIS will for your life.

Second thing you must do is you must believe who HE is. Hopefully, if you took the time to seek God, you understand who HE is. However, too many people see God as a Santa Clause and not as their Creator God. Be like Enoch and believe that HE is God and worth pleasing. In addition, believe that HE desires to reward you for diligently seeking HIM. This does not always mean financial rewards. God can reward you many ways, and probably most importantly, HE can reward you with a closer relationship with HIM.

Remember, David had a heart after God’s own heart. Yes, David did sin. However, even though David sinned, because HE had a habit of diligently seeking the Lord, the Lord rewarded David by not utterly destroying David and preserving David’s name on the throne for many generations.

It is one thing to seek the Lord, it is another thing to believe in your heart that if you find HIM, HE will be waiting for you and will reward you for your diligence. Take an educated individual who lived 200 years ago. Put them in a rocket that is about to launch. You can give them 100 books on the evolution of aviation in the last 100 years. You can tell this individual all the success stories of man flying. This man can take everything that you have told him and prove it scientifically and thus belief that this rocket will take him to the moon. However, until this individual actually steps into the rocket and pushes the button, he will not have yet demonstrated faith in the rocket.

Faith is taking your head knowledge and turning it into heart belief. It is taking that which you read and not only understanding it as a true principle, but believing it, and acting upon it. You cannot play lip service to God and expect to please HIM. Instead, you must understand that HE has told you that if you seek HIM, you will be rewarded for your effort. As you turn your understanding into belief, you will exercise your faith, and you will please the Lord. You cannot please the Lord absent faith, and you will not have faith until you take God at HIS word and believe it in your heart.