 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The Four Corners ...
Diligence INTRODUCTION The Scripture for this week is the same as that of last week,
How do we glorify God in matters as mundane as eating and drinking, and in all other matters of life? By maintaining a positive, hopeful attitude and by working diligently at whatever we do. As it says also in Ecclesiastes,
The Apostle Paul is a perfect example of all four of these corners that we've looked at in this series, including this one. He even recognizes that he is a good example. Just a few verses later after I Cor 10:31, he writes,
I realize that it's asking a lot to follow Paul in terms of diligence. He had as much energy as the ocean has salt, and few of us can relate to such an example. But there are some reasons, beyond his high energy level, that he was able to accomplish so much. To be specific, Paul knew three secrets that enabled him to channel his energy. These secrets can be summarized by three words: gifts, goals, and gates. GIFTS Use your spiritual gifts. That's the first secret. I mention this one first because in I Corinthians, after the verse, "Do all to the glory of God," then after chapter 11, which deals with "propriety in worship" (NIV), comes chapter 12 which Paul opens with these words, "Now about spiritual gifts..." He then proceeds to give the most comprehensive teaching about spiritual gifts in all of the Bible. Virtually all of what we know about spiritual gifts comes from Paul, when you include Romans 12 with this passage. The way this relates to diligence is that energy channeled through God-given gifts is accelerated, where otherwise it can be wasted. I saw a diagram of two men working their hardest to push a cart, but they were getting nowhere because the cart had square wheels. This is an example of applying yourself earnestly in the wrong area (for you). Paul lived by this secret. He wrote,
Paul channeled his energy according to his gifts. You might be thinking of a verse from Paul that seems to contradict this – "I have become all things to all men..." but it doesn't contradict. Rather, it goes along exactly with Paul's second secret. GOALS Using his gifts, Paul applied himself toward specific goals. Back to that verse I alluded to,
This was the strategy. The goal was the gospel.
Paul was "all things to all men" only in the sense that it related to the goal of spreading the gospel to as many people in as many places as possible. He had gifts to evangelize and plant churches, so he evangelized and planted churches everywhere he could. Paul was not "all things to all men" in an aimless way. He didn't sit around waiting to be taken advantage of. He didn't act out of impulse or gut feelings. And in that sense, neither should we be people who try to be "all things to all." If you are less than diligent, maybe the reason is that you're aimless. Maybe you need to ask yourself some hard questions: what am I good at? what do I enjoy? how can I channel my gifts and talents toward an end I can really be proud of? Even a gifted, goal-oriented person can be ineffective if he/she does not understand the concept of limits. GATES A gate you sometimes open and sometimes close. Gates represent the power to say yes and the power to say no. We need to do both. Most of us, especially, need to do more of the latter. Paul understood the secret of gates in two ways. First, he knew when to say no. He makes a curious statement early in the letter to the Corinthians,
It's curious because, if you consult the Great Commission, it sounds
like Jesus called all of us to baptize. If not all of us, at least all
the apostles. Apparently, Paul associated the work of baptizing with pastoral
ministry. But his calling was to go city to city, preaching, even as Billy
Graham has done, rather than staying at any one church and Paul also understood that there are times when it is the Lord saying no, closing a gate. He understood that we need not waste time and energy tugging on a gate that is not going to open. In his case it happened in Asia on one of his missionary journeys,
CONCLUSION Jesus is an even better example than Paul of a person accomplishing a lot by focusing and channeling his energy, as is pointed out in the following: "ONE SOLITARY LIFE" He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never had a family or owned a home. He never set foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never wrote a book, or held an office. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. While He was still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. His friends deserted Him. He was turned over to His enemies, and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had --- His coat. When He was dead, He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave. Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure for much of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever sailed, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as this "One Solitary Life." -author unknown |