“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.” 2 timothy 2:15

Every athlete’s desire is to produce good results by their efforts. Not every athlete, however, puts in the same amount of time, sweat, effort, and diligence to develop the skills he or she has been given. Diligence is defined as “having or showing care and conscientiousness in one’s work or duties.” The original root word suggest having “a love for or taking delight in” what you work so hard to do.

Giving God the best of all that we are requires diligence. Whether on a field, in a classroom, or developing relationships with others, we have to be committed to going the extra mile to get the results we desire. If our ultimate aim is to glorify Christ in all that we do, we must diligently pursue Him each day to gain a better understanding of what He wants our lives to be.

Proverbs speaks of the results of being diligent: “The hand of the diligent will rule” (Proverbs 12:24). “The soul of the diligent is made fat” (Proverbs 13:4). “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5).

Coach, there are no shortcuts to becoming a man or woman of God. We must “have a love for” and “take delight in” our relationship with Jesus each day by studying His Word, talking with Him about His Word, listening for His voice, and sharing Jesus with others. Then we will be a “workman who does not ned to be ashamed.”

– Mickey Weston serves as the Executive Director of Unlimited Potential Inc. He played five seasons in the MLB for the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.

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