There is a profound difference between doing one’s job and performing your tasks with diligence. It is possible to undertake your assigned tasks with the minimum effort. But the person who honors God is the one who does everything with diligence. Diligence entails doing your best. It means you work with passion and pride. It includes going the second mile to ensure the end result of your labor is something for which you can be proud.
Some people take no pride in their work. If they do not feel like doing something, they simply cannot bring themselves to attempt it. If sloppy, half-hearted work will suffice, why put one’s self out to do outstanding work? Such people saunter through life, never knowing what could have been had they only done their best. They miss the scholarships and academic opportunities at school that they could have earned had they applied themselves. Promotions and job offers never materialize because no one is impressed or attracted to someone who is unwilling to give their best effort.
One doesn’t have to hold an executive position to be diligent. Diligence comes from our inner self-respect and our desire to honor God through our labor. It is not something that only comes from a large salary.
Think about the work you have performed lately. Can you take pride in it? Does it bring glory to your Creator? Does it challenge others to imagine what their best efforts could produce? Would it inspire others to want you to work with them as well? If your character is reflected in your work, what does your current effort reflect about your character?