S) "2 then I put Hanani my brother, and Hananiah the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many."
Nehemiah 7:2 (NASB)
O) What I noticed about Hananiah, is that he got the job based on his character, not on his experience. There's a reference to his former position, but that's not the qualifier. The qualifier is that he was faithful and feared God more than many. So often, men get caught up in accomplishments and credentials. Here, the fact that Hananiah was the commander of the fortress, was not really a factor in being chosen to to lead the city of Jerusalem with Hanani.
A) I have insecurities about qualifications, sometimes. Particularly in the business world, my lack of college education has felt like a very big, very obvious limitation. In God's eyes, though, any kind of previous position or status pales in comparison to these two simple traits: faithfulness and fear. Thankfully, my ability to fear God and my faithfulness are two things I can directly control, even if it's not always easy. Fearing God is an active humility before Him. Being faithful to God is much more broad and includes things like studying the Bible daily, prayer and fasting regularly, worshiping Him only, etc. Like any education, this kind of character building takes time, and it's never really over. Unlike education, it's free. Simply weighing the cost to the benefit, I guess there's no real question that investing in character is much more wise than investing in education. Don't get me wrong, I want to continue my education eventually, but I can, and will, sharpen my character now.
P) Father, You know, Lord. You know how I need to be prepared to handle what You're calling me to do. You know what kind of character I need. You know what kind of education I need. I'm thankful, God, that You will provide both, as long as I'm willing to put in the work. Holy Spirit, please bless my pursuit of character, even more than my pursuit of education. Remind me to value what You value, God. Show me what to make a priority in my life. Show me what to pursue and when. Thank You for using me, God. Let my lifesong sing to You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
A) I have insecurities about qualifications, sometimes. Particularly in the business world, my lack of college education has felt like a very big, very obvious limitation. In God's eyes, though, any kind of previous position or status pales in comparison to these two simple traits: faithfulness and fear. Thankfully, my ability to fear God and my faithfulness are two things I can directly control, even if it's not always easy. Fearing God is an active humility before Him. Being faithful to God is much more broad and includes things like studying the Bible daily, prayer and fasting regularly, worshiping Him only, etc. Like any education, this kind of character building takes time, and it's never really over. Unlike education, it's free. Simply weighing the cost to the benefit, I guess there's no real question that investing in character is much more wise than investing in education. Don't get me wrong, I want to continue my education eventually, but I can, and will, sharpen my character now.
P) Father, You know, Lord. You know how I need to be prepared to handle what You're calling me to do. You know what kind of character I need. You know what kind of education I need. I'm thankful, God, that You will provide both, as long as I'm willing to put in the work. Holy Spirit, please bless my pursuit of character, even more than my pursuit of education. Remind me to value what You value, God. Show me what to make a priority in my life. Show me what to pursue and when. Thank You for using me, God. Let my lifesong sing to You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment