Seeth thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29 KJV.
As Christ is the King of His church [Psalms 2:6 (1)], a man diligent in his business is a man who is “constant in effort or exertion to accomplish what is undertaken [definition of diligent (1)]. It is our ministry or business [definition of ministry (1)] or “serious engagement; important occupation” (1) as “it should be the main business of life to serve God, and obey his commands” [definition of business (1)]. We are to stand or “remain upright, in a moral sense” [definition of stand (1)] in our business dealings and “not to fall…not to vacillate” or “to be unsteady or inconstant” [definition of vacillate (1)].
As Christ is the King of His Church [definitions of kings (1)], we will “stand before kings,” i.e., “a sovereign or a ruler” (1) just as we stand before the King of kings as an upright and moral person. We are not to “stand before mean men” or men “wanting of dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless” [definition of mean (1)] as mean men do not reflect the image of Christ.
In our ministry or business [definition of ministry (1)] undertakings, we use our increase to help others to obtain increase in their lives to help others increase as the chain of business continues or abides “for any time indefinitely” [definition of abide (1)].
We are to be industrious or “opposed to (being) slothful and idle” [definition of industrious (1)] in our daily living even despite depression where we can seek help from God for depression, i.e., to seek the peace of God.
It is a doable task to be diligent in business as we ask for the Holy Spirit’s leadership and guidance in all that we do.
God Bless Everyone!
(1) Noah Webster 1828 dictionary
Brenda A. McGee has attended New York Theological Seminary in New York, NY, and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA as a Master of Divinity student.