At lunch, we were talking today about how much of a disservice things like dishwashers, microwaves, TVo(?), cell phones, Starbucks, fast food, and other similar things do to us. In fact, we commented on how desperately we need to watch out for these things in that they create in us strong desires that completely skew our understanding of the Lord's purposes. For example, today I was reading Proverbs 21:5 and had no idea what was the difference between "diligence" (which is said to lead to abundance) and "hastiness" (said to bring poverty). In my little eyes, being diligent has always meant hastening the result.
Diligence inherently implies endurance, perseverance, and patience. Hastiness leads to quiting when things don't go as fast as we want. Consequently, because our instant American culture demands everything now, we Americans quit marriages, quit waiting in "too long" a line, complain about everything, get addicted to pornography or food, have bad expectations of ourselves, our kids, our spouses and friends; we assume God doesn't listen to prayers, assume God isn't acting or that we're being disobedient. Typically, we Americans have no clue what diligence is. We're simply hasty but we call it "hard work".
This lifestyle is so pervasive, dangerous, joy choking, and down right evil, it will require all of us to serious watch and fight against the sin. All sin kills. Sometimes though we can begin to sarve it with fasting, prayer,, confession, genuine accountability relationships. We find ourselves discouraged by unreal expectations we put on ourselves. We hope you will join us in putting to death these worldly, cultural values with all diligence.
