Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
2 Peter 1:5-7 LSB
We are diligent in many areas of our lives. We exercise due diligence in things like choosing a spouse and deciding where to send our kids to school. We are diligent in choosing a career. We are diligent in choosing the right doctor. We exercise due diligence with many things in our lives here on earth. It’s good to investigate and choose carefully in many of our adult responsibilities. That’s a good thing.
What I find interesting, however, is that when it comes to decisions that make an eternal impact on our lives many are not so diligent. In our Scripture passage, Peter is talking about how we must be diligent in growing as a Christian. He lists the characteristics of a mature Christian. We shouldn’t just be possessing these characteristics, but we should be growing in them. We should be maturing.
If you have been saved, you should be doing your due diligence in pursuing things like moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and brotherly kindness. We should be growing in these qualities. We grow through Bible study and prayer.
We should also be diligent to avoid the things the Bible warns us to avoid. We are told in 1 John 4:1 that we must not believe every spirit, but that we should test the spirit to see if it is from God because many false prophets have gone out into the world. To be discerning, we need God-given wisdom. James 1:5 tells us we can ask God for wisdom, and He will give it generously without reproach.
Society expects us to diligently pursue our careers, social status, and many other temporary things. Our lives here on earth last for a short while. Yet still, we put great effort into pursuing them.
God gives us gifts here on earth. We are to use these gifts. If we trust in Him and surrender to Him, He puts us in the right jobs for the right reasons.
Children are a blessing; parents should diligently pursue being good parents. Part of being good parents is teaching your children about Jesus and the importance of preparing for eternity. In doing so, we can have an impact on generations to come.
There is nothing wrong with diligently pursuing the things God has given us to do here on earth, but they should never get in the way of us pursuing growth in godly characteristics.
In police training, instructors often tell you that your main objective is to make it home to your family at night. I am telling you that as Christians our main objective is to make it to our heavenly home to spend eternity with our heavenly Father.
As Christians, we must always be mindful of being representatives for Christ. We must remember to think and act in a way that pleases Him. We must strive to live a life that shines like a beacon to draw others to Him.
I encourage you today to exercise due diligence in securing your heavenly home. If you have not accepted Christ as your Savior, get into a relationship with Him. If you have been saved, be sure your growth isn’t stunted by the things of this world. Grow in the things Peter mentions in His Scripture passage.
Diligently pursue a relationship with your Lord and Savior.
Have a great day!