Introduction

Good day to all! Today, I will continue sharing the sixth lecture on Good Habits of Spiritual People, which is titled Diligent, Not Slothful. Why discuss diligence and the avoidance of sloth? Because I have observed that many Christians lean towards laziness, preferring to entrust everything to God, doing nothing themselves, expecting God to accomplish everything for them! Many non-believers are stumbled by these lazy Christians, compounded by a spiritual facade, leading them to believe that Christians are inherently lazy.

Furthermore, I've noticed that many Christians favor the word: entrust. Entrusting to God seemingly implies that they need do nothing. But is this the reality? Not at all! Entrusting is a fig leaf for laziness; nominally entrusting, but actually slothful. Many Christians entrust matters to God, expecting Him to do everything, treating God as their servant, asking Him to do this and that for them.

In addressing Diligent, Not Slothful, I pondered the essence of diligence. Upon consulting Baidu and Google, I found that diligence means enthusiastic and thoughtful. Thus, this topic could also be titled Enthusiastic and Thoughtful, Not Slothful. I am keen on studying how to make people smarter. I have discovered a clear phenomenon: those who are enthusiastic and industrious, who enjoy working, tend to be more intelligent, and their lives feel more fulfilling. Careful observation leads to the conclusion: God created man with a clear principle within him, that man enjoys doing proper work.

A young man who joined us a few years ago was remarkably clumsy. When I tasked him with plastering a wall, his movements were awkward and stiff, somewhat resembling a person with Down syndrome. However, he improved under our training. This child, from primary school until the age of eighteen or nineteen, could not perform simple addition and subtraction within ten. I then trained him to understand addition and subtraction within and beyond ten, and he grew and improved day by day. After his transformation, I hoped he would continue to progress, but he was unwilling to endure such hardship. He later became a food delivery person, and he did quite well. Subsequently, he felt that living with us was too difficult, so he decided to return to his hometown, living a life of leisure, doing whatever he pleased.

I was initially responsible for training this child, and I earnestly desired for him to become intelligent. His mother was very worried about his condition, so I comforted her by telling her not to be anxious, as anxiety would not help. I suggested letting him play as much as he wanted, however he wished. Before long, several months had passed. Surely he had played enough? Playing loses its appeal after a while. Upon closer observation, one finds that those who indulge in excessive play ultimately gain little satisfaction. Accomplishing something through work provides a deep sense of fulfillment. Play cannot bring true satisfaction; it only leads to emptiness, because this is the way God has made man.

This young man chose to indulge in play, and we stopped interfering with him, and he with us. I advised his mother not to be too proactive, as though we desperately needed him to do spiritual work. His mother heeded my advice, maintaining a healthy relationship with him and ceasing to push him to do anything. And so he lived. A few days ago, his mother told me that he was quietly listening to sermons on our website. The website has many assignments that can be done, and he was taking notes and sending them to his mother. He has grown! What caused him to return to this path? Because he discovered that play is meaningless, and doing proper work is fulfilling; those who are diligent and not slothful enjoy life.

I have discovered many virtues in myself. I approach everything with enthusiasm. For example, I clean toilets with enthusiasm, lay floors with enthusiasm, and install water pipes with enthusiasm. Those who are close to me have witnessed firsthand my enjoyment and focus in my work. I truly enjoy the work of my hands.

Some time ago, a brother in our midst needed renovations done at his home. The cost of the renovations was significant, which caused him some concern because several thousands here and there quickly added up. Unsure of how to proceed, he consulted with me. I suggested that he not hire someone but rather do it ourselves. Consequently, I enthusiastically undertook the task of installing the entire water system in his home. I worked very quickly. In fact, I did it as well as a professional plumber would. After completing the job, I felt a great sense of satisfaction! The copper pipes, with their L-shaped and T-shaped fittings, all connected with white tape, were a delight to work with. I love working, and this is a significant advantage I possess.

In terms of IQ, I am not exceptionally intelligent, but I do have a notable strength: I approach everything I do with enthusiasm, whether it is serving, leading Bible studies, leading small groups, building churches, pastoring, or conducting deliverance ministry. Enthusiasm is powerful; it is more important than intelligence. Many people have high IQs, but they are lax and unenthusiastic in their work. I find this undesirable. The best approach is to be diligent, enthusiastic, and thoughtful. People need enthusiasm. I have a good habit of doing things with enthusiasm. Am I more intelligent than others? I cannot claim to be more intelligent, but there is a fire within me that has propelled me to this day.

Diligent, Not Slothful—I am so glad to speak on this topic today! If you can learn to be diligent and not slothful, you will enjoy life. You can try it with your enthusiasm. The testimonies shared today are of individuals who grew and found great enjoyment in their enthusiastic service. If you have been a failure throughout your life, with failure almost becoming your identity, I offer you a valuable piece of advice today: you are not lacking in intelligence; you are lacking in enthusiasm. Without enthusiasm, you cannot sustain any endeavor. Without enthusiasm, everything feels difficult. Today, let us contemplate how we can approach tasks with enthusiasm. Begin to try the advice I give you, cultivate diligence and avoid sloth, be fervent in spirit, and serve the Lord always.

Scripture

Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. (Romans 12:11)

Prayer

Lord, open our minds today so that we may know that You placed such a principle within us when You created us. We long to enjoy our lives to the fullest. Fill us with Your enthusiasm today, so that we may begin to be fervent in spirit and serve always. Lord, remove the sloth and discomfort within us, so that we may begin to recover diligence and serve with enthusiasm. Lord, let us have no complaints or discouragement in our service, but only enthusiasm and thoughtfulness, fearing that we may not do enough or become dull. Lord, in the midst of this enthusiastic process, let us begin to restore the beautiful image in which You created us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Scripture Background

Recently, I spoke about a good habit called Do Not Think of Yourself More Highly Than You Ought, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:1-3)

Upon hearing this, some might say, I am incapable. I must think of myself with sober judgment. God has only given me this much faith. Therefore, I can only do so much. Do not force me; God created me this way. After writing these words, Paul added a sentence to prevent misunderstandings.

Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. (Romans 12:11)

God has given me little faith; I think of myself with sober judgment, and I entrust everything to God! I have so little enthusiasm; I am not thoughtful in my work; I cannot be diligent; this is simply who I am... There are too many Christians like this today. They do their work sloppily and with much discomfort. Upon closer examination, the meaning of this passage written by the Apostle Paul is not what some people understand it to be today. How do people understand it today? They believe that they have already offered themselves as a living sacrifice to God, becoming holy. They have entrusted themselves to God, sized themselves up soberly according to the measure of faith God assigned them, and served, so God has accepted them. But two important things are missing: namely, enthusiasm and thoughtfulness; therefore, diligence, not sloth.

The background of this passage is that Paul begins by entrusting people to God, but it does not end with entrusting. You are to be diligent, not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Romans chapters 7 and 8 discuss many things related to the flesh.

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)

Paul wrote to the church in Rome, which was the capital of the Roman Empire, a place very much given to the indulgence of the flesh. Various industries catering to the flesh were highly developed. In northeastern China, there are places called Roman bathhouses, which are beautifully and luxuriously decorated. Why are they called Roman bathhouses? Because the Romans had them back then, and their indulgence of the flesh was so complete that it was reflected in their culture. In other words, the Romans' problem was related to the indulgence of the flesh.

Who does not enjoy lying in bed and receiving a massage from a young lady? How comfortable it is to have one's muscles massaged! If I were to lay a floor, making my hands, legs, shoulders, and back ache, unable to straighten up after squatting, no one would enjoy being diligent. In Rome, industries catering to the indulgence of the flesh were highly developed. When Paul wrote the book of Romans, the most pressing issue he needed to address was the problem of indulging the flesh.

Those who indulge the flesh are lazy and consider work to be arduous, thinking only of gratifying the flesh, such as eating well, drinking well, and enjoying baths and massages. Is one's condition improved by indulging the flesh for extended periods? Not at all; it only becomes more difficult. Because the Christians in the Roman church all had the problem of indulging the flesh, Paul wrote that they should be diligent, not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

The region of Rome also had a sense of regional pride and arrogance. For example, a New Yorker may see out-of-towners as mere farmers. People from Shanghai in China may view those from other provinces as country bumpkins; those from Beijing may look down on those from Handan. This regional pride is natural, but it can lead to a serious issue: Why should I enthusiastically and thoughtfully serve you? These are the central ideas that Paul wanted to convey in the book of Romans, to encourage the Romans to be diligent, not slothful, fervent in spirit, always serving the Lord, and to address their problem of indulging the flesh. I encourage some of our wealthier brothers and sisters to carefully consider what Paul said, to be diligent, not slothful, fervent in spirit, always serving the Lord.

Thanks be to God that the Chinese people are a diligent people, very enthusiastic and thoughtful. I believe that Chinese people have many virtues, and I am proud to be Chinese. From ancient times, we Chinese have had a background and culture of diligence. Wherever there are Chinese people in this world, there will surely be diligent people.

Diligent People Are Always Intelligent

Paul's idea of diligence means enthusiastic and thoughtful. If you can be enthusiastic and thoughtful, you are impressive. A person who is both enthusiastic and thoughtful in their service is surely an intelligent person. Paul said to be diligent, not slothful. If we all cultivate the habit of diligence, we will surely become intelligent. A person who is diligent and not slothful is certainly intelligent; this is a good habit of spiritual people. A spiritual person is diligent and not slothful, and such good habits are very important.

I have observed that many people are spoiled at home from a young age, knowing only to study diligently and never doing any housework. As a result, they are neither enthusiastic nor thoughtful when caring for others. Because they never do anything at home, it is as if they would not even lift an oil bottle if it fell. Over time, I have found that such people become dull. Harvard University has found in its research that children who do housework from a young age are more intelligent because they cultivate the habit of diligence and avoiding sloth. Normal people are intelligent if they are diligent and not slothful; if you are a spiritual person who is not diligent and not slothful, are you truly spiritual or are you merely pretending to be? I would venture that you are not truly spiritual but that you are pretending to be.

Today, let us ponder the importance of the word diligence. Becoming dull is related to laziness and a lack of enthusiasm. I have seen some people work very hard, but they are absent-minded and do not accomplish much. What they lack is enthusiasm and thoughtfulness. Think about the situation of a person who lacks enthusiasm in their work, is not thoughtful, and is forgetful. I encourage everyone that if you want to be a spiritual person, you must cultivate the good habits of spiritual people, starting with diligence—diligence, enthusiasm, and thoughtfulness, instead of putting on airs. Putting on airs does not garner respect but only contempt. Who cares about your cold and aloof manner?

Those running matchmaking businesses in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen say: there is a severe surplus of women because men in these cities cannot afford houses and retreat to third- and fourth-tier cities. Girls all flock to the first-tier cities, resulting in a significant oversupply of women. If you continue to act aloof and wait for someone to pursue you, stop daydreaming! The implication is that in rural areas, there are tens of millions more men than women, but in first-tier cities, the male-to-female ratio is severely imbalanced, so you should grab someone quickly and not expect to be pursued. Cultivating an attitude of aloofness and coldness is of little value; developing a habit of warmth and thoughtfulness has a profound impact, especially in service.

We often say to be diligent and not lazy, to serve the Lord frequently. If serving the Lord lacks enthusiasm, isn't it a miserable chore? Some pastors I've seen treat serving God as a chore, and God treats them as a chore—isn't that deadly? Why do people see these things as chores? Because they lack enthusiasm. In our era, Fei Xiang sang a song called A Fire in Winter, which ignited our passion.

Do we need that inner fire today? In fact, people aren't afraid of physical exhaustion from work; physical fatigue isn't the real problem, it's the heart that tires. Why does the heart weary? Because it's tired of what it's doing, wearing a sorrowful face while working—isn't that fatal? For example, we arrange for brothers and sisters to serve, hoping they will grow in their service, but what they lack is enthusiasm. Many of the testimonies shared today are about service. Their spiritual state may not be that strong, but because they serve with enthusiasm, they grow significantly.

If we love doing something, our attitude changes. Loving to do something versus not loving it results in two different attitudes and two different outcomes. If you want to do something but can't accomplish it, what you lack is enthusiasm and diligence; you need to learn to be enthusiastic and thoughtful. If you approach things with enthusiasm, what you do will inevitably be thorough.

A few days ago, I read to my colleagues a statement from the owner of Meituan: I don't know how to do this, but I can learn. That's a great attitude. The owner of Meituan can say that, shouldn't we think the same as Christians? People of the world are like that, shouldn't we who belong to God's Kingdom have this kind of enthusiasm? The Kingdom of God requires people with passion to enter. The Kingdom of Heaven is a narrow gate, and only those who strive to enter will attain it. How can someone without enthusiasm strive? That’s the mentality of a loser. People are not unintelligent because of their IQ, but because they lack enthusiasm; people are not tired because of muscle fatigue, but because they lack enthusiasm. I encourage you to rekindle your inner passion.

Not only be diligent, but also be thoughtful. If you enjoy doing something, you will gradually do it thoroughly. When people are enthusiastic, diligent, and thoughtful, that’s the cure for overcoming fatigue. At my age, I still work diligently and consider things carefully. For example, when I install water pipes, they all think I do a great job, and I am very satisfied. We need to confront the blind heavenly pride of Christians. Don't assume that just because you are saved, you are doing well. Ask yourself, are we diligent in our work? Do we treat serving the Lord as a chore? Is our service to the Lord neither thoughtful nor diligent, and also lacking in wisdom? Our service to the Lord is a matter of course. It's in serving that we grow, becoming more mature and wise.

I encourage everyone to test your passion, like a fire in winter. There was a brother who didn't serve his grandmother well, ignoring even her pain. How could he care for others? After I criticized him, he said he wanted to leave the church. After leading him for so many years, what he lacked was enthusiasm, that lukewarm way of living. I often wondered how such a person could become wise. When he leaves the church, I won't have to worry about him anymore.

Do Not Be Lazy

A person's stupidity is related to laziness. If someone is lazy, they feel overwhelmed by small tasks, become afraid, and don't want to do them. The more they don't want to do them, the less they can do them, and they become dull, working slower and slower. Everything seems like a huge task, and the person becomes very stupid. Stupidity is related to laziness. Lazy people work slowly, and working slowly makes them uncomfortable. Later, I observed a phenomenon: working slowly is laziness. Laziness is definitely not a good habit. If you are a lazy person, you really need to change today. Lazy people are prone to illness! Why do Christians become lazy? Because there is a misconception in the faith of Jesus Christ that diligence is entrusting to God, but in reality, entrusting to God is just laziness.

In my teaching, there is something called proactive faith, not doing nothing, nor waiting with passive faith. The figures we emulate in the Bible are not lazy. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all proactive in their work. Especially Jacob, when he herded sheep for his uncle Laban, if he had no enthusiasm and was a lazy person, he wouldn't have lasted those 20 years. God wouldn't have been able to teach him in a dream how to use branches to feed the sheep so that they would produce offspring with spots, speckles, and stripes. If you don't put your heart into someone else's work, God cannot bless you; if you are not faithful in other people's affairs, God will not give you your own.

Brothers and sisters, know that laziness is a very evil thing. Romans were skilled at bathing in bathhouses, but they are not skilled at diligent service. I encourage these Roman Christians to be diligent and not lazy, and never use entrusting to God as a cover for laziness. A spiritual person does not entrust everything to God and then do nothing. We are co-workers with God. If you do nothing, how can God bless you?

Read the Bible carefully: If you diligently observe the decrees and laws of the Lord your God, He will bless all the work of your hands. If your hands do nothing, how can God bless you? Especially in serving God! If we serve God without diligence, enthusiasm, and thoughtfulness, and are also lazy, how can we give an account to God?

If you are lazy, poverty will overtake you stealthily. Most people are poor because of laziness. But lazy people don't think they are lazy. They think they are very diligent because they work clumsily. They can't finish a task in a day and waste materials and time, working very hard, and then they start complaining, get discouraged, and lack enthusiasm, only feeling miserable. A person's IQ is not that important; enthusiasm and thoughtfulness are more important. So, be diligent and not lazy, be fervent in spirit, and serve the Lord always.

What exactly is laziness? Today, the sister in the testimony said after coming among us: Teacher, you don't know how hard it is to fold a quilt! Is folding a quilt that hard? I often see lazy people living very miserably. This sister used to take forty minutes to fold a quilt, but now she can do it in five minutes. Five minutes is already a very low requirement for her. Because I like to work and I'm not lazy, I work quickly and enjoy it. You will find that some people work slowly, claiming to be meticulous, but they are actually lazy. Because they have a misconception that it takes forty minutes to fold a quilt, they have a lot of work to do.

If we know that the manifestation of laziness is working slowly, you can measure yourself to see if you are a lazy person. Don't think that working slowly is an advantage. People who work slowly don't do well. Usually, people who work slowly are either lazy in their hands or lazy in their minds. To solve the problem, you still have to find the root cause. The root cause is that a person doesn't know they are lazy, which results in them becoming even more foolish. Today, carefully consider whether you work quickly or slowly? Do you do well or not? Especially when serving the Lord. Some people seem to do a lot of things when they serve, as if they are doing all the work of the church. But in reality, they are not doing much; they are just lazy people. Lazy people think that way. So, we must be diligent and not lazy, fervent in spirit, and always serving the Lord.

Always Serving the Lord

We are diligent, we are not lazy, but we are all doing things that benefit ourselves. Is doing things that benefit ourselves called serving the Lord? No, it is not.

The Mingding Destiny that we Chinese Mingding Destiny talk about is to be a blessing to others while alive. What does it mean to serve the Lord? To serve the Lord is to serve the least of the brothers in the name of the Lord Jesus.

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was ill and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or ill or in prison, and did not care for you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ (Matthew 25:40-45)

Today, whether in the church or in life, everyone has the opportunity to serve the weak in the name of Jesus Christ. This is called always serving the Lord. If you are not at the bottom in the church, you always have opportunities to serve. If you are in the middle level of the church, you can also train leaders. If you are at the bottom of the church, you also have opportunities to serve, because there is always someone weaker than you.

People in Rome often find themselves an excuse: I am not a leader, I have no position, I cannot serve the Lord! This is not the definition of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ's definition is: You must always serve the Lord. You have no right to say I have no opportunity to serve. Some people say their pastor has not arranged for them to serve, which is absurd. Among us, we wish for everyone to be raised up.

Recently, I have noticed a situation where some people, when they get busy with work, push serving aside. Sometimes they cannot even attend gatherings, let alone serve others, serving their own businesses, work, and lives instead. Always serving the Lord is the responsibility of Christians. If you truly offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, you will certainly be a serving person, and others will be blessed because of you.

Others receive blessings, pastoral care, and growth from you, and you will certainly grow in your pastoral care. This is the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable and perfect. You know that the people you serve have all kinds of problems, and then you apply the attitude you have towards work to serving, racking your brains to find solutions, constantly renewing your mind, and then solving the problems of the people you are caring for, or solving management problems in the ministry. It is impossible for you not to grow or be blessed. Always serving the Lord is also a command that Paul gave to the Roman church, and it is also a command given to us today.

Ask yourself today, who did you serve yesterday? If you didn't, then who did you serve in the past week, in the past month? Who did you solve their problems for? If you didn't, or you can't remember, then you really need to reflect! If you are diligent, not lazy, fervent in spirit, full of enthusiasm, weeping with those who weep, then you will be empathetic to their problems. How could you forget?

Why do you forget? Because you don't always serve the Lord, you don't always serve those in need. Today, we must think carefully: How much have we grown in spiritual matters? Should we cultivate a good habit in spiritual matters: be diligent, not lazy, fervent in spirit, and always serving the Lord!

Summary

I would like to make a summary:

If you want to become wise, you must be a person who is diligent, not lazy, fervent in spirit, and always serving the Lord. If you want to live well, you must be a person who is full of enthusiasm, thoughtful, not lazy, fervent in spirit, and always serving the Lord. If you often feel uncomfortable inside, then you must be a lazy person. If we want to enjoy life, there is only this path: be diligent, not lazy, fervent in spirit, and always serving the Lord.

Since this sentence has been repeated so many times, I think it should have entered your mind, and it would be best if it could enter your bone marrow. If it enters your mind and enters your bone marrow, how could you become a person who does not enjoy life?

Let us begin to rekindle the fire within us again, rekindle our enthusiasm, without complaining, without discouragement, only with enthusiasm and thoughtfulness, afraid of doing too little, afraid of serving too little, afraid of becoming dull. No matter what we do, let us do it as if we are serving God, and even to the least of our brothers and sisters, let us do the service for them, and be a blessing to them!

May God bless everyone!