Mensa Otabil - The Plans of the Diligent (10/31/2025)
Today I’m talking about the diligent person, and we’re looking at Proverbs chapter 21, verse 5: «The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty lead surely to poverty.» So, what does it mean to be diligent? Diligence means to be enthusiastic about your work and to be methodical, focused, and committed. A diligent person approaches their work with passion and hard work, and that is the person that the Bible says will surely lead to plenty. Many times in the Bible, the wise person is also called a diligent person. There are four things about a diligent person that I want to share with you, and I hope that it helps all of us to be diligent in what we do.
The first thing is that a diligent person accepts challenges. It is the mark of wisdom for a person to accept challenges, and when a person is diligent, they don’t shy away from a situation because it’s hard, difficult, or seems impossible. Some people disqualify themselves before they even try. To be diligent is to approach a challenge with enthusiasm, to step out and say, «I’m going to do it. It’s hard, but I’m going to do it.» That’s the first aspect of a diligent person-they accept challenges.
Secondly, a diligent person designs solutions for problems. They understand that it’s hard and difficult, but there is always an answer. Every question has an answer, and every problem has a solution. If you don’t know the answer, someone else does. So, if you don’t know, seek more knowledge. Talk to someone who has done it before, conduct research, make inquiries, and try to figure out how to solve the problem. You can’t solve problems solely by using what you already know; sometimes you have to draw on what others know to help you do what you must do. That is diligence — even the entire process of researching, reading, and learning is part of diligence. You have to be a person who looks for solutions to problems. That is diligence.
Thirdly, a diligent person anticipates obstacles to their plans. When a person is diligent, they don’t just sit down, make a plan, and think, «Oh, it’s all going to work out well.» A diligent person knows that no matter how well they plan, things will definitely go wrong. No matter how well you plan, something will not go according to plan, and you have to anticipate that. It’s like playing a game of chess; when you play chess or any strategy game, you not only think about your own moves but also anticipate what your opponent will do. So when you make a certain move, you must be prepared for your opponent to counteract in various ways. There are people who create their plans and believe that, just because it looks good on paper, it will work perfectly in reality. That’s not how it works. A diligent person anticipates obstacles to their plans and works toward overcoming them.
Number four, a diligent person works hard to implement what they have set out to solve. When obstacles arise, they don’t just give up and cry, saying, «Well, I tried, and it didn’t work. Nobody likes me; nobody supports me; nobody encourages me.» One thing you have to know about life is that nobody is obliged to encourage you. That’s why David learned to encourage himself. If you’re waiting for people to pat you on the back, lift you up, or urge you on, you may be very disappointed in life. It’s great if you have such people, but life doesn’t produce many of them. Occasionally, you may encounter an encourager, but most of the time, you' ll find discouragers around you. All of us must navigate through discouragement, and that requires diligence.
A diligent person accepts challenges, develops solutions to problems, anticipates obstacles to their plans, and then implements what they have set out to do. You are a diligent person; I can see that. Be diligent for the Lord.
Let’s pray: Say with me, «Heavenly Father, help me to be diligent in all that I do. I commit to doing my work thoughtfully and thoroughly. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»