And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things.
Diligence and temperance are important traits of those who teach and serve. Diligence is careful, conscientious, and consistent effort. Temperance is self-control. When we serve God, we cannot be half-hearted in our efforts. If God exists, to get to know him must be our highest priority, and to serve him must be our greatest work. To believe a loving God rules the universe and yet to not put our best efforts into communing with him and obeying him is illogical.
When we teach, we must be diligent in our own efforts to live what we teach. We cannot expect our hearers to do what we ourselves will not do. This is where self-control comes into play. We must control ourselves before we can have any positive influence on others.
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