Diligent, Disciplined, Deliberate

By Shari Tyson

Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (NIV). Because this verse has come up in our pastor’s messages of late, I have been thinking more seriously about the profit of being diligent. In that process, Holy Spirit has shown me two companion attributes that allow diligence to lead to sustained prosperity, and those attributes are being disciplined and deliberate.

For example, I can be very diligent to learn what God says about the power of the spoken Word. However, if I am not then disciplined to be very deliberate in my choice of words when I speak, that diligence will not profit me as it should. As that verse in Proverbs says, haste leads to poverty and is surely the opposite of being deliberate. I can’t run off at the mouth in haste (leading to poverty) if I am being diligent to discipline myself to be deliberate with my words (leading to profit). 

Diligent, disciplined, deliberate—three words that may be interchangeable or three words that must be inseparable. Just something Holy Spirit has given me to think about. 

Shari Tyson leads the nursery ministry at Abundant Life Covenant Church.