Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings.’ Proverbs 22:29 NIV
Succeeding on the job (6) Nothing contributes more to job success than skilfulness. Skilled workers excel by study, practise and hard work. Second best is unacceptable. Such people are ‘always in demand… they don’t take a back seat to anyone’ (Proverbs 22:29 TM). Skilfulness isn’t genetic; you don’t inherit it, you work for it. You burn the midnight oil, stretch to your limits and refuse to ‘settle.’ Watch a skilled craftsman; your esteem rises at their attention to detail, refusal to cut corners, patience, dedication and pride of product. They inspire confidence, respect and trust. There’s no more practical demonstration of genuine Christianity than being a skilled worker. When they speak people listen. If you doubt that try sharing your faith with those who see you being dishonest, shoddy and careless. Better to be silent till you earn the right to be heard! Whatever your work, ‘Do it…in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him’ (Colossians 3:17 NIV). We should be ‘raising the bar’ because we’re Christ’s representatives. We should set the industry standard for excellence. Knowing we follow Christ should give employers and customers confidence they’ll get nothing but the best. The skilful worker can’t lose, because God promises that their work will inevitably attract the attention of people who’ll promote them and reward them. ‘Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings’ (Proverbs 22:29 NIV). They may start at the bottom of the ladder, but their destination is a rung higher up.