“Your teeth look really good today!”

I smiled. Those were the words I wanted to hear. After all, even though I really like my dental hygienist, going to the dentist isn’t my favorite thing to do. And my wife will be even happier because paying for my extra dental visits isn’t HER favorite thing to do!

It all started a few months ago. There were so many changes going on in my brain do to my ever-progressing Alzheimer’s that my teeth got put on a back burner. To my defense, I didn’t even understand why I needed to brush my teeth. And to my wife’s defense, I had become a bit — how shall we say this — stubborn? — about my teeth brushing? To preserve her sanity, my wife decided to choose her battles, and in light of all the other things I had also become — stubborn — about, well my teeth didn’t make the cut…

Then it was time for my dental check-up and cleaning. I was happy enough to go. My dental hygienist and I go back a number of years and she ranks on my list of “fav” people. In fact, I don’t let anyone but her touch my teeth! Unfortunately, the smile gradually disappeared from her face as the cleaning proceeded, and then she disappeared into the room that contained my wife, and when my wife later joined us, there was a very stern look on her face as she stated, “We have to get on top of your dental floss and tooth brushing!” I knew then that my “grace period” for not having to worry about my teeth anymore was over…

And so it was that I was scheduled for a 3 month cleaning, and my wife started her “oversee-er” tasks that very evening. She would hand me the dental floss and wait until I’d done top and bottom. Then she would hand my my spin brush, complete with toothpaste, and watch to make sure I got every part of my mouth. Next would be the paper cup with water to rinse my mouth, and finally, the mouth wash. And except for the mouth wash part, which only happened once a day, this proceeded to be our morning and evening routine for the next three months.

Fortunately for both of us, my “stubborn” days were behind us, and for the most part, I was compliant with my “drill sergeant” wife. The day of my 3 month cleaning came, and my hygienist gave me a good report. Nonetheless, another appointment was scheduled 3 months later, and I would later learn that my wife had set aside a special category in our monthly budget to pay for the extra dental cleanings!

My “drill sergeant” continued in her “command” post, and today, 6 months after the “bad” appointment and three months after the “better” visit, not only did my hygienist had a smile on her face throughout my entire cleaning, but I was graduated to 4.5 month cleanings!

My wife was smiling when I came out. She said the budget would thank me for my diligence to my oral hygiene!

I believe that my increased diligence to my teeth cleaning is actually a suggestion from my favorite book, the Bible! What? You don’t remember dental hygienists in the Bible? Perhaps you remember the world’s wisest man, Solomon! He wrote a little book called, Ecclesiastes, and in this book is the following suggestion: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…” (Eccl. 9:10a NIV). This same wise man also said this: “Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor.” (Proverbs 12:24 NIV), and a similar theme is expounded upon by the Apostle Paul: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 NIV).

The take-away on this? Good things happen when we are diligent, when we refuse to give up! Just like diligence with my teeth led to my wife having to budget less for the dentist, diligence in everything we do will result in good results.

It makes me think about our relationship with God. What if we would all be diligent about reading our Bibles and spending time in prayer? I know that in my personal case, diligence in time with God leads me closer to Him and helps me to want to obey and follow His ways.

And what about our Great Commission? What if we would all be diligent in doing whatever we can to further the work of the Lord? Again, in my personal case, when I am diligent towards the Great Commission, people start coming to the Lord!

What about it? Shall we ignore the advice of the world’s wisest man and let ourselves become slack in our relationship with God? In our witness? Or shall we do our best to be diligent in everything that we do?

My teeth — and our budget! — are pretty happy my wife and I chose diligence for my teeth. And God is also happy when we diligently seek Him and make Him our number 1 priority!

Inspired by Rob Chaffart
Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries