Skilled and willing

I was reading from Exodus (chapters
35-36) about the design and construction of the tabernacle in the wilderness.
One story that is buried within the tabernacle narrative is how God had all the
skilled labor available that he needed to build his place of worship. The
writer of Exodus says that God called up “everyone who is willing” and “all who
are skilled” to contribute to the construction process.

I wrote in the margin of my Bible:
“There seems to be a powerful connection here between man’s willingness and
God-given skill.”

Over and over in this story the
Bible uses words like “willing” and “skill” and “ability” and “free will.”
There doesn’t seem to be any coercion going on, but generous and skilled
craftsmen rose to the occasion to make the items exactly as God intended.

Nowadays, when we talk about worship
and skills we usually mean singers and preachers and teachers. But the guitar
players and TV camera operators and production experts, as well as
heating-and-cooling and maintenance and all those skilled positions, worship
when they willingly use their God-given skills for the sake of the rest of us.

While God can accomplish anything he
desires, there are some things that won’t happen unless we do our jobs. One
Thursday morning I held up my yellow paper with my lesson notes on it and said,
“As you know, I really enjoy leading classes like this. God has given me some
gifts and skills for teaching, but even more, He has given me a heart to do it
and a joy from it. But on this piece of paper, this in NOT God’s handwriting.
This is my handwriting. I know that anything I have to say of value was given
to me by God, yet God didn’t write it on this paper, I did.”

Even God-given skills have to be nurtured
and trained. Its as if God has given us a starter set of skills and a heart and
mind to use them, and then waits to see what we are willing to do to develop
and improve those skills. Having skills as a teacher shouldn’t make you feel
privileged or blessed as much as obligated and responsible. How dare we sit
back on a skill God has given us and not be willing to improve it.

Sometimes Christian say," All I
am trying to do is get out of God's way." I know they use that phrase
because they don't want to be arrogant, but the phrase implies that humans are
an impediment to God, that we get in his way, we get underfoot. I don't believe
that is true. I believe we have to pursue God and pursue the dreams and
projects he has given us and work hard, with all our heart.

Another thing: God-given skills can
be used for entirely wrong reasons. Earlier
in the Exodus story we read about a time when some of the Israelites got
anxious because Moses was away on the mountaintop too long. They gathered up
donated gold jewelry and made a calf statue to worship. Once again we see both
willingness and skill, but used in a way to break relationship with God rather
than to build it.

Sometimes it is hard to know the
skills we have from God. If they are a natural part of our personality we may
be so used to them and comfortable with them we forget how rare they are. For
example, Cyndi and Tanya can watch someone lead a dance step or exercise
routine once or twice and they are able to repeat it back flawlessly. They can
see a routine once and then repeat the mirror-image of it while in front of a
full class. Both women are exercise instructors nowadays and I feel I have to
speak up for all mortal normal people to remind them that almost no one else
can do what they can do. It is so much a part of who they are they naturally
assume everyone can do it.

As I get older, I am becoming more
choosy about where to give my time and energy. I want to use the skills God has
given me and I have little patience working hard at something I’m not good at.

I think we all have skills given by
God, even if we have trouble identifying them. Do you know yours?

One good exercise is to make a list
of the things people compliment you on. Make a list of those compliments that
have stuck with you for a long time … that certain thing someone said ten years
ago and you still remember it fondly. The reason you remember some comments for
a long time is because they are the ones that speak to your heart and soul. Try
to identify the common skills and gifts that link those stories, and train them
and improve them. And give them back to God willingly.

“I run in the path of Your
commands, for You have set my heart free.” Psalm 119:32

To learn more about Berry’s newest book, “Running
With God:” http://www.runningwithgodonline.com/

Follow Berry on Twitter at @berrysimpson … Contact
Berry directly: berry@stonefoot.org