Diligent

What comes to mind when you hear the word diligent?


As students head back to school, parents and teachers alike hope the students will be diligent in their studies.


An athlete may work diligently to improve his performance.


A brick mason works diligently stacking one brick on top of another to build a house.


Someone who refuses to give up is described as diligent.


The word diligent is defined as constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing something; done or pursued with persevering attention.


The apostle Paul wrote these words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15:  Be diligent to present yourself approved unto God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.


That is the NASB translation of that verse. Like me, you might have originally learned that verse in the King James version:  Study to show yourself approved unto God.....


The word translated as study or be diligent is the Greek word spoudazo, which means earnestness or diligence, and conveys the idea of energy and intense effort and motivation. It speaks of intensity of purpose followed by intensity of effort.


2 Timothy 2:15 is one of those verses that often just slaps us in the face. Because how many Christians can honestly say they are being diligent when it comes to the Scriptures. How many of us, if we are really honest, can say our attitude toward Bible reading and Bible study, is diligent.  Are we really being energetic and intense in our approach to Scripture?


How many are satisfied with a "verse of the day" grabbed from an app on our phone, and then go on about the day with business as usual.


How many are spending more time reading a devotional book than spending time in the Word of God.


How many are actually diligent to study?


One of the great problems in our culture today is biblical illiteracy, even among Christians, and that can be traced back to the fact that we don't spend time in God's Word. We don't study. We don't memorize Scripture. We don't take time. We aren't diligent. We're too busy. Or too lazy. Or too "whatever". We have all sorts of excuses.


But Paul's instruction to Timothy, and by extension, to us, is that we be diligent. That we study, not just read.


And for what purpose? Why is it so important?  So that we would not be ashamed before God. That we would accurately handle the Word of Truth.


How can we accurately handle the Scripture if we don't take time to study it?


Reading Scripture is important. But we must go beyond reading. We must be willing to study. We must be willing to be diligent. And that requires time and effort.


Consider these two verses:


"Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to do it." (Ezra 7:10 NASB)


"I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." (Job 23:12 NASB)


Ezra was diligent.


Job was diligent.


May I - may we - be diligent as well.