Diligence in the Pit Stop.

We recently hit a yellow-caution light on the parental go-kart track of life. Thankfully it was a regrouping pit stop/wake up call and not a complete spin out. These warning flags are part of parenting and are to be expected. While we were dealing with the details the word impressed upon my mind was diligence, and how it pertains to parenting.

When I think about the word diligent my mind always goes to Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (AKJV) I was curious how and where else diligence is used in the Bible. What I found has deeply moved me.

What I found when used throughout the Old Testament (Hebrew) the word diligence conveys something done as a willful conscious effort with all one’s might and power until the task at hand is done; much like the rebuilders of the wall in Ezra and Nehemiah. Some of the men were set to work at rebuilding the wall, defensive weapons in one hand building tools in the other. Some were set to be the guards, or the watchmen, they were to be on the lookout for enemies who were threatening the destruction of their hard work.

In the New Testament (Greek) the word diligence conveys a work or labor that is painstakingly, even elaborately, examined or investigated. It conveys a sense of urgency, and providing on the behalf of someone else.

A good example of this is 2 Corinthians 8:11-12 (MSG) “So here’s what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started…You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it.”  Paul was urging the Corinthians to put to action their good ideas on the behalf of others.

When you bond the O.T. idea of zealous, willful, guarding, watching, perceiving, one-step-ahead-of, protection and warning with the N.T. painstaking, elaborate, examining, careful handling and the desire to be at one’s best on the behalf of and in action for another you get a parent.

Am I the perfect parent?! Goodness no! Will I always be a step ahead of or aware of everything which takes place in the lives of my kids? No! Are there days parenting gets exhausting? Yes! But by the grace of God and a little help from others I will strive to be diligent and continue to steer them in the direction they are supposed to be going.

  

This experience has been a good reminder that although my children no longer require the constant supervision they did as littles they still need me to be their ‘watchman’ to help them become the men they were designed to be.