Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men. Proverbs 22:29
Skill will open doors for you to stand before kings. It gives you earthly influence. We understand the value of that and commit to investing in developing our skills and gifts so we can lead those God’s given us to lead. But please remember, your gift does not give you an open door to heaven, to God’s presence. Your skill is not what moves heaven on earth. We don’t impress Jesus with what we can do. He’s moved by relationship - our love for him, our desire for him, our worship of him and him alone.
And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. Psalm 78:72
For our skill to be of real value, it has to be preceded by integrity of heart, a heart that is honest and sincere in its pursuit of Jesus. I don’t pursue Jesus to stand out. I don’t pursue Jesus so I can have greater influence. I don’t pursue Jesus so I can be admired and praised. I pursue him because he’s what I’m truly after.
The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9
