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Few days ago, our mentor and leader, @sirknight shared an encouraging article titled "Family Values: The Rite Of Manhood". From the story he shared on how he transited from the village to the city and how he achieved manhood, it wasn't all rosy from the beginning. But he never allowed situations and family background to belittle his potentials. He never folded his arms, waiting for the government or a miraculous helper. He knew he had a huge role to play in deciding his future, and he took the bull by the horn.

The Bible says that "though your beginning may be small, yet your latter end shall greatly increase" (Job 8:7). This only means that your beginning is not a definition of how you'll end. The choice to be successful all depends on your desire and hunger. God wants us to be enormously and wildly successful! The Bible refers the lazy and sluggard to the ants, to learn how they work and store food during the harvest so that poverty wouldn't evade them during the famine season (Proverbs 6:6-10).

Proverbs 6:6-10: Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep.

HOW TO BECOME AN INDUSTRIOUS CHRISTIAN

1. Emulate the diligence of our leader @sirknight.
Diligence is a vital tool for success. For you to excel in whatever you're doing in life, you have to be dedicated and consistent. Take our Knight for example, hardly will you see him take a break in making sure the Steemchurch Community is coordinated. His passion in making the world a better place shows it all. His compassion for the poor is what gave birth to the @farms project which is handled by Apostle @abiye through the leadership of @sirknight.

Jesus’ parable of the five golden talents is a good example of Christian diligence. The parable illustrates how God expects us to be industrious with the talents He provides us. If we are faithful in the little he gives us and use it for good works, God will continue to give us increase for the building of His Kingdom.

The Parable Of The Talents:
Matthew 25:14-30
"For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two."

"25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

"25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:"

"25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury."

"25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Your diligence towards utilizing your God given gift is what determines your reward. Matthew 25:21 tells us of God rewarding the industrious, and Matthew 25:29 tells us of God not rewarding the slothful.

Proverbs 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

2.Give yourself fully to the work of God.
Another way of becoming an industrious Christian is by giving yourself fully to the work of God. The principle is very simple, the Bible made it clear in Matthew 6:33. When you pursue God's interest, He'll beautify your life and crown your effort with Glory. But when you feel you can do it all by yourself with your mortal ability, you just get frustrated and start blaming Satan.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Paul teaches us to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58), and to "serve wholeheartedly, knowing we're serving the Lord, not men" (Ephesians 6:7). No man has ever followed God blindly and dashed his leg on the stone. Let God lead and you'll experience light in that your small endeavor.

Finally, I implore every parishioner to take advantage of the ongoing @farms project. The information shared about various agricultural products and how to produce them and make money is not ceremonial but for us all to make a positive impact to the economy. You might not have all the time in the whole world, but you can invest in it and get someone to take care of it, few SBD can start up something. Be diligent and consistent, don't voraciously swallow your products, plan and learn how to save up.

Yes I'm a student and wouldn't have all the time but I can still promote agricultural products. My subsequent SBD would be channeled to the purchase of a cassava processing machine which I intend leasing out to a village cassava farmer, for a weekly return. I don't have to depend on anybody because I am an industrious Christian following the footsteps of a great Knight with an industrious gene in the person of @sirknight.

Thank you for reading.
@prinxeton