Diligence

Proverbs 12:27 - The Lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.

What is game in this context? A man's game is his food, his sustenance, his strength, his compensation, and his award of a successful hunt, his ability to care for his family. Before we roast game, we have to "gut it"; this may seem grotesque. We remove the waste products of the game, we then skin the game if it is an animal, - often skins were transformed into clothing - AFTER they were properly cured with various salt formulations. Finally, the remaining 'good stuff', the meat provided food.

Before eating game, the meat is roasted. What happens when game, or meat, is roasted? Often added are spices and herbs for additional flavor. The application of heat kills any bacteria. Bacteria can cause illness or death. Roasting requires TIME, time for the heat to kill the harmful bacteria, time for the herbs and spices to permeate the game. Roasting, giving the proper time, transforms ordinary game into an exquisite entree, a prized possession. Proper game preparation and Roasting requires diligence.

A lazy man may fail to properly clean his game, removing the waste material, he may fail to properly skin or cure the skin for optimal clothing or blankets. A lazy man, according to the bible, fails to kill the harmful 'critters' on the game, fails to include the herbs and spices for optimal palatability, a lazy man fails to allow adequate time for Roasting to create the exquisite entree.

A Diligent man prizes his possessions, his game, and gifts from God. A Diligent man (or woman) properly evaluates, cleans, purges, and prepares their possessions, gifts from God; for optimal use. Our game, or possession, may be a pheasant or deer.

However, our possessions, our game, are also our talents, our education, our intellect, our spirituality, our relationships, and our finances. What other things might our 'game' be? Are we tempted to dig right in and consume our game immediately upon possession? Is this tempting? Are we diligent? Are we patient in optimizing our game, our possessions, do we properly cure them for enduring use - as the hunter does with skins? Do we have the diligence to add the herbs and spices of our talents, intellect, and spirituality to our possessions? Do we have the diligence to apply adequate fire, purifying our possessions, ridding them of anything that may injure or kill our soul? Do we have the diligence and patience to allow the necessary transpiring of time for permeation of the herbs and spices into our entree, as well as adequate time for heat to kill the evil?

Ashamedly, my anxiousness places me with more in common with the lazy than the diligent. However, when I apply diligence, I have been fortunate to compete with the world's best. Why do I fail to apply this to everything, every game, every possession in my life? Because my sinful nature; if undisciplined; seeks laziness.

How exquisite of an entree is God Roasting this very moment in YOU? Are you willing to be diligent as the fire burns the impurities, as the herbs and spices, your talents, intellect, and spirituality; permeate your game, your possessions? One of the most difficult things for me to withstand is being hungry, smelling a perfectly preparing dish in the oven. I can smell it, I am starving, I want it now! My mother would say, "Not yet, it has to finish cooking (Roasting)". If I would eat too soon, I would become sick and lessened a terrific dish. "How much longer?" Mom assured me, “It is almost done”; my grandmother (when she was there) would give me a piece of bread and butter to hold me over until the "game" had finished roasting.

You may be tired of bread and butter; your awesome entree is nearly finished roasting. You can smell it, you are starving, "Not yet, it has to finish cooking". You are about to dine with a life's meal our Lord is preparing just for YOU!

Make it a Great Day in Christ!
Rick
http://www.rickemeyer.com/