As you know, its not what you know that makes the difference, it’s what you do with what you know. Go-how, not just know-how. Being moved to action.

We must diligently apply what we know.

It is pointless to know something, and not act in accordance with that knowledge.

And the word pointless here is appropriate.

Scriptures teach:

“…the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” (Proverbs 10:4 KJV)

The word diligent in the original Hebrew essentially speaks of sharpness. It means to bestir oneself, decide and decree, determine, and to move.

I define diligence as “consistent application of what you know in one direction over time.”

To coin some phrases.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.

Not slow to act, but slow in the sense that we are not in a 100-meter dash. Our lives are not lived in fits and spurts, a random string of accidental or occasional explosions of activity. Daily habitual actions stacking up over time are far more effective than infrequent eruptions of genius.

We live day by day, building line upon line, moving purposefully toward our stated goals.

Diligence and discipline arise because we bestir ourselves to move in the direction we have decreed. Our course is set not by the fickle winds of fashion, but by the gentle leading of the Holy Ghost.

He leads and directs our steps. Sometimes our pace will increase, other times the speed of implementation may be slowed as we learn new skills, but all the while, every day, forward motion is apparent, even if inch by inch.

His hand on ours allows us to overcome the tendency to start well, and never reach the end tape. The hand of the diligent under the direction of the hand of the Divine. Purposeful progress propelled by grace.

As we yield and allow the fruit of long-suffering to have its way in our lives, shaping our character and sharpening our vision, the results are remarkable.

Diligence maketh rich.