Diligence
Charles Spurgeon's Illustration Collection [1]
Select a large box and place in it as many cannon-balls as it will hold, it is after a fashion full, but it will hold more if smaller matters be found. Bring a quantity of marbles, very ,amy of these may be packed in the spaces between the larger globes; the box is full now, but only full in a sense, will contain more yet. There are interstices in abundance, .to which you may shake a considerable quantity of small shot, and now the chest is filled beyond all question, but yet there is room. You cannot put in another shot or marble, much less another cannon-ball, but you will find that several pounds of sand will slide down between the larger materials, and even then between the granules of sand, if you empty yonder jug there will be space for all the water, and for the same quantity several times repeated. When there is no pace for the great, there may be room for the little; where he little cannot enter, the less can make its way; and where the less is shut out, the least of all may find ample room and verge enough. Now, the diligent preacher may not be able to preach more sermons, his engagement book is crowded. He may not be able to offer more public prayers, or to search the word of God more constantly; there is as much time occupied with these things as could well be given to them. Still there must be stray moments, occasional intervals and snatches, which might hold a vast amount of little usefulnesses in the course of months and years. What a wealth of minor good, as we may think it to be, might be shaken down into the interstices of ten years' work, which might prove to be as precious in result, by the grace of God, as the greater works of the same period.. Little fishes are sweet, and these little works might possess in blessing what they lacked in bulk.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): ( n.) Process by which persons, lands, or effects are seized for debt; process for enforcing the attendance of witnesses or the production of writings.
(2): ( n.) The quality of being diligent; carefulness; careful attention; - the opposite of negligence.
(3): ( n.) A four-wheeled public stagecoach, used in France.
(4): ( n.) Interested and persevering application; devoted and painstaking effort to accomplish what is undertaken; assiduity in service.
King James Dictionary [3]
Diligence, n. L., to love earnestly to choose.
1. Steady application in business of any kind constant effort to accomplish what is undertaken exertion of body or mind without unnecessary delay or sloth due attention industry assiduity.
Diligence is the philosophers stone that turns every thing to gold.
Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1 .
2. Care heed heedfulness.
Keep thy heart with all diligence. Proverbs 4 .
3. The name of a stage-coach, used in France.
