Year 6, Day 284: 1 Chronicles 11

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

In Chapter 11, we hear about David’s rise to power.  Compared to the Samuel account, we hardly hear anything other than he is brought before the people and they celebrate him as king.  Naturally, we also hear God’s blessing over David.

In that blessing, though, we see the competency of David.  He is God’s champion.  He is a competent leader.  David goes up to Jebus, which becomes Jerusalem.  The city was impenetrable, but in God David is competent enough to take it.  David becomes King of Jebus, and in doing so becomes not only king over the Hebrew people but also a high priest of God in the order of Melchizedek.

But the competency doesn’t just stop with David.  The rest of this chapter is devoted to David’s mighty men.  The rest of the chapter is devoted to warriors who were competent.  In God’s power, they rose up and did the impossible.  They took on numbers that were far greater than they should have been able to defeat.  They accomplished feats in circumstances that they should not have been able to master.

This chapter speaks to us about competency.  When we are doing the will of God, we can step out in faith, knowing that God will make us competent.  The world might still reject us, but we can be competent in what we do.

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Year 6, Day 263: Zechariah 4

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

If you are coming here to understand this chapter, I’d like to refer you to the theological commentary that I wrote three years ago.  This is a very confusing chapter.  I’ll leave that work to what I wrote before.

For today, I want to be inspired by the confusing nature of this chapter.  We are supposed to be confused.  Zechariah was supposed to be confused.  Notice that he is confused!  What’s more important is that God doesn’t mind that he is confused.

Look forward in time a little.  Do people understand what God is doing in Jesus?  Do Jesus’ own disciples understand what Jesus is doing?  Even in the midst of the crucifixion, do Jesus’ disciples understand what is going on?  Even when Jesus is raised from the dead, do they really get it?  Of course not!  The disciples only get it when it is all said and done and Jesus comes to them and explains it all to them.

Now we turn back to Zechariah. Zechariah’s competency is not found in his ability to know what God is doing.  Zechariah’s competency is found in his willingness to ask and confess that he doesn’t know.  Zechariah’s competency is found in his humbleness, which allows him to be curious and find his answer.  If you want a great image of competency, it is this prophet who finds understanding by acknowledging that he doesn’t know the mind of God.

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Year 6, Day 208: Hosea 8

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

I love the saying, “Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.”  It is a really creative way of saying more than “you reap the consequences of your actions.”  What it is really saying is that not only do we reap consequences, but those consequences are usually more drastic than our original sowing.  Just so we’re clear, this doesn’t have to only be true in a negative context.  Often times when we sow good things, we reap consequences that are far better than what we originally sowed.

However, in the context of Hosea 8 this expression is absolutely a bad thing.  The Hebrew people are living into their sinfulness.  They are pursuing their own desires.  When enemies come upon them, rather than turning to God for help they are turning to the foreign nations around them.  They are looking for support and strength in the world around them, not in their God.  The consequence of all of this – the whirlwind, if you will – is that there is an incredible dwindling of spirituality in the northern kingdom.  They are no longer able to live the moral and ethical lives necessary for good society.  Even their reliance upon foreign powers puts them in a foreign domestic policy that they cannot manage once the threat is removed.

Given all of this, why am I focusing on competency?  Competency is being able to do what God has intended you to do.  The people were intended to be in relationship with God.  God makes it possible for any of us to be in relationship with Him.  But the reality is that in this regard the people are not competent.  They could have pursued God’s ways, but they didn’t.  They could have turned to God and relied upon His provision, but they didn’t.  They could have relied upon God to protect them from their enemies, but they didn’t.

The Hebrew people, much like the rest of us, struggled at being spiritually competent.  They reaped the whirlwind of their spiritual incompetence.

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Year 6, Day 196: Matthew 22

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

We have now come to the last few days before the crucifixion.  He is where Jesus takes on some bite, perhaps even venom.  No longer is Jesus defending off the challenges of the religious elite.  Now Jesus is taking the fight to them.  This is where we see that Jesus is not just love and grace but also challenge.

In each of the stories we see Jesus asked to explain His teaching.  He is asked to defend Himself.  In each story He rises up to the challenge and successfully answers the questions.  This shows that Jesus has been given the authority from the Father to speak competently in the faith.

However, Jesus doesn’t just answer competently.  Jesus’ words silence His opponents.  Jesus turns the questions upon the religious elite and they are unable to answer Him!  The people marvel.  The religious elite then leave Him alone.  They go away and prepare for what is to come next.

Jesus is a competent teacher as we already knew.  But what I think is most telling is that Jesus knows where His competence will lead.  He will die because He is so competent in His teaching.  Yet, He willingly continues to do the Father’s will knowing full well where it leads.

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Year 5, Day 360: Isaiah 10

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency, Obedience

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.
• Obedience: Genuine and satisfying obedience comes out of our identity.  Our true identity comes only from our Father.

When we look at Isaiah 10, we see that it is largely a chapter of warning and judgment.  I’m going to focus on the middle third of this chapter today.  But in order to do that, I need to talk about some history.  After King David, the kingdom of Israel split into two nations: Israel (north) and Judah (south).  Both kingdoms gradually slid into disobedience, but Israel did the slide far more quickly than Judah.  As such, God lifted up the nation of Assyria to come and bring judgment upon the nation of Israel.

When we look at this from an angle of competency, the nation of Assyria was certainly competent enough to conquer the nations around it.  It was competent enough to be quite victorious on the battlefield.  It wasn’t long before Assyria had subdued the land around it and it was the leading power in the land.

However, when we look at both obedience and competency we see where Assyria failed.  That’s where most of the scripture for today comes into play.  God tells Isaiah that the king of Assyria took the power that God gave to him.  But the king of Assyria gave no credit to God.  The king of Assyria did not recognize where the power came from.  He thought the power was all his own.  He was competent enough to go out and conquer, but he was not competent enough to be obedient.  He was not obedient enough to be humble before God.  He was not competent enough to reflect the glory and honor upon God where it deserved to be placed.

Most of us are competent.  God gives all of us the ability to do something well.  But are we competent enough to obey God?  When we do obey Him, are we competent enough to give Him the glory and honor?

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Year 5, Day 337: Ecclesiastes 7

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

In Ecclesiastes 7 we have some very interesting advice.  The day of one’s death is better than the day one one’s birth.  Don’t be too righteous.  Don’t listen to what people say about you.  A good name is better than a precious ointment.

I can go on, but what we hear in this passage is a very strange perspective.  How many of us genuinely think that day that we die will be better than the day that a person is born?  Honestly, answer that question.  How many of us celebrate the day that a person dies more than a day when we hear a baby is being born?  I’d be shocked if anyone can truly admit to living as though the day of death is better than the day of birth.

I think this is why I am drawn to the topic of competency on this chapter.  This chapter challenges many of our most innate cultural perspectives.  We can often speak platitudes that makes it seem like we are on the same page as much of the advice given here.  But are we really living like it or are we just saying words that sound like we are?  Are we really competent in a godly perspective or have we heard the perspective so often that we can spit the words out without really thinking about their truth in our life?

We need to be competent about living a life that believes the day of death is better than the day of our birth.  We need to be competent about living a life that seeks genuine spiritual righteousness and not a self-serving righteousness.  We need to be competent in being able to not listen to what people are saying about us too deeply.  We need to be competent about believing that our good name is one of our most precious assets.

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Year 5, Day 311: Proverbs 20

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

I think that the idea of competency and righteousness often go together when we are talking about spiritual matters.  We are always called to live in righteousness.  We are always called to be holy.  God asks us to be different in this world.  God asks us to be a beacon to the world that highlights Him and His ways.  The question isn’t whether or not we are called.  The question is if we have the competency to do what we are asked.

When we read Proverbs 20 this idea really comes through strongly, especially in the opening verses.  Sluggards do not put in the time to do things the right way.  Anyone can talk about how great they are, but how many of us truly are as great in practice as we proclaim in reality?  How many of us use unequal means for measuring so that we can seek our own benefit?  Do not children – or all human beings – show their true character by what they do?

Acting righteously is truly one of mankind’s greatest dilemmas.  We know that we are called to live rightly.  We know we are called to live with a perspective that is not about getting an advantage for ourselves.  We are not to be self-centered in our focus.  But how often do we live up to that standard?  Are we really competent enough to live up to our calling?  This is a very important question for self-reflection.

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Year 5, Day 309: Proverbs 18

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

As we surge through Proverbs, I find it interesting that we still seem to focus on the “fool.”  In today’s chapter, we get to focus especially on the tongue of the fool.  As I spoke about yesterday, it is better to be thought a fool than to open my mouth and prove myself to be one.

For example, take the contrast given to us in Proverbs 18:4 and Proverbs 18:6-7.  In Proverbs 18:4 we hear that the mouth of the wise is like a bubbling brook.  By this Solomon means that words of wisdom are refreshing and they bring comfort.  By in Proverbs 18:6-7 we hear that a fool’s mouth is his ruin and a snare to his soul – inviting the fool into dangerous places.  Even in Proverbs 18:21 we hear that life and death are in the power of a tongue.

The truth is that there is great power in what we say.  When we speak just to hear ourselves talk we give bad advice and show ourselves to be a fool.  But when we are silent until called to speak forth in God’s wisdom we give good advice and show ourselves to be wise.  Our tongue is one of our greatest weapons and tools.

This is what brings me to the idea of competency.  Our tongue – our words – are such an incredible power.  The difference in whether our tongue is a weapon or a tool is really an issue of competency.  If we are competent with our tongue, we are wise and our tongue is a tool that brings forth God’s truth.  But if we are incompetent with our tongue, we are a fool and it becomes a weapon of destruction in human hands under human control.  Those competent with their tongues bring refreshment to the people around them in the truth that they speak.  Those incompetent with their tongues bring destruction in their folly.

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Year 5, Day 291: 2 Thessalonians 3

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

2 Thessalonians 3 is Paul’s natural conclusion from the guidance that he offered in the opening two chapters.  Paul tells us that we should work.  We should not mooch off of the people around us.  We should not take advantage of the people around us.  We should not seek a position of high status so that we can live off of the people below us.  We should all work for what we want.

This is really an issue of competency.  We all have the capacity.  With God, we also all have the character needed to do our part.  The question that remains for all of us to ask ourselves is if we are competent enough to actually do it.  Can we actually do what needs to be done?

God does not give us the character to do what is right without giving us the ability to do what is right.  God does not call us to a life that we cannot actually live.  God does not set anything outside of our reach.  That doesn’t mean that there aren’t things that are outside of our reach.  But what it does mean is that if God puts something into our life He will put it within our ability to grasp it.

Thus, we work.  Paul tells us to work.  Paul tells us to do our best and to earn our keep.  In doing this, we also become an example and a role-model for others.  This is why Paul also talks about imitation.  If people see us working for what we desire to have, it may just inspire someone else to also work hard for what they want as well.

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Year 5, Day 268: John 20

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

I’m going to take a bit of a strange approach on this blog post today.  This post is going to stem from John’s summary note in John 20:30-31.  Why did John write this Gospel?  John wrote this Gospel so that we might believe and that we might have life in His name.  John wrote this Gospel so that we might be competent followers of Christ.  John wrote this Gospel so that we would have the courage and faith to respond to God as He calls us.

In a sense, John wants us to be like Mary.  Mary met Jesus and carried His Gospel to the Twelve.  Even if they didn’t believe her at first, she was still competent because she had heard the story for herself.

John wants us to be like the Twelve.  They might have doubted Mary at first, but after they heard the story from Jesus Himself they believed.  After they heard the story, they were able to be competent followers of Christ.

John even wants us to be like Thomas.  We’ll have moments of doubt.  We’ll have moments where faith is hard to come by.  But John wrote this Gospel so that once we’ve heard the story of Jesus we too would be competent in spite of our doubt.

This Gospel is written so that we would be competent.  John wants us to be able to accomplish what God the Father has called us to do.  Some days that will be hard.  On those days especially we will need the story of Jesus to inspire us and give us a model of godly living.

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Year 5, Day 250: John 2

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

This is a great chapter in order to study Jesus – especially in the beginning of His ministry.  We have three examples of Jesus and humanity.  All three examples bring out a sense of challenge among human beings.  But what is really important to note is that in each place, Jesus is competent to do as God desires.

In the first story, Jesus turns water into wine.  Notice the level of challenge that Jesus gives to even His own mother.  He tells her that His time has not yet come.  In other words, she does not get to choose when He puts God’s power on display.  Just because He has the power of God does not mean that He is on her beck and call.  Jesus is not just competent enough to turn the water into wine, He is competent enough to even stand up to His mother and make sure she knows that He is submitting to the Father, not her.

In the second story, we get to see Jesus clear the temple.  In this story we see Jesus competent in standing up to the community around Him.  In clearing the temple, He would no doubt make a name for Himself.  He would no doubt make enemies.  He would not doubt draw attention to Himself and that attention would not be all that good.  Yet Jesus does not shy away from any of these things.  He is competent enough to stand up for the Father in spite of the consequences.

Finally, we get to third story about trust.  This last story is easy to overlook, especially with how well known the other stories are.  But in this story we see a great point with respect to competency.  Jesus does not put his trust into just anyone.  He pauses to consider who is trustworthy and who is not.  This is such an important understanding in life.  We shouldn’t air our needs and frustrations and desires and weaknesses to just anyone.  Find people that are worthy of your trust who will walk beside you in life and put your trust in them.

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Year 5, Day 160: Mark 13

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

When I read Mark 13, I hear Jesus making sure to get the last points of warning in to the disciples before they see Him crucified.  The worst thing that could happen is about to happen.  Humanity is about to reject the very Son of God and the world of Jesus’ disciples is about to spin completely upside down for a short period of time.  Jesus wants to make sure that they are ready.

Look at His words.  Jesus warns the disciples not to be impressed with the massive constructions of mankind because even those will not truly endure.  Jesus warns them that they will be dragged before people because of the message they preach and that this will happen so that the Holy Spirit will have an opportunity to speak through them.  Jesus warns them that as time goes on that there will be many people who come into our presence and try and deceive us.  Jesus warns the disciples that they won’t always know what is about to happen or even what God is about to do; but they should keep on persevering to the end whether they know what is going to happen or not.

In other words, Jesus wants them to be competent in the face of trial and difficulty.  Jesus wants them to be able to come through difficult times with their mind and eyes still focused on what matters and what is important.  Jesus wants them to be strong so that their witness speaks to others competently.

Let’s face it.  Who among us isn’t going to have difficulty in life?  Who among us isn’t going to face persecution by someone who just doesn’t care for us?  Who among us will never meet someone who believes differently than we do?  These are all realities in life.  Difficult moments will come.  It is important for us to be prepared so that we can competently come through them.

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Year 5, Day 131: Job 37

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency, King

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.
• King: This is the pinnacle of the Kingdom Triangle.  When we look towards God’s position in the universe, we acknowledge that He is an omnipotent king.  Authority comes from Him.  Power comes through His authority.  He is looking for representatives for His kingdom.

Yesterday I spent a fair amount of time talking about God as King.  Today, we get another great opportunity to do so.  Elihu gives us many images to ponder God’s awesome nature.  He makes the snow fall.  He makes the rain fall.  He gathers all the clouds in the sky.  He scatters the lightning.  God set the world in motion and He continues to control it all.

God is clearly the king of the universe.  That is a huge part of Elihu’s great message for us this morning.  But I think we can take this chapter and go farther with it than that.  I think we can push past simple awe of God and take it to our relationship with this creator.

Elihu asks a deep and probing question: shall it be told to Him that I would speak?  This is fundamentally the same question that Paul asks in Romans 9:20 as to whether the clay can look at its potter and demand to know why it was made in such a manner.  What right do we have to stand before God and question Him?  We can be in awe in His awesome presence.  But what right do we have to question Him as to why anything happens?

This is where the idea of competency comes in to play.  Am I competent to do what God asks me to do.  So often we think of competency in terms of just being able to accomplish what I should accomplish.  But there is another side of competency.  Am I able to refrain from doing that which I have not been called to do?

Who am I to stand before an almighty being and question Him?  Who am I to stand before my maker and think that He owes me any answer?

Of course, I am in relationship with God.  He wants me to grow closer to Him.  But in order to be a competent follower I must learn the difference between seeking truth and demanding God explain Himself.  It is not wrong to seek answers because we seek His truth.  But it is always wrong to make demands that God explain Himself when things go differently than we estimate they should go.

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Year 5, Day 126: Job 32

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

I think it is interesting to hear Elihu speak.  I realize that he is human.  He is going to make his own fair share of mistakes with respect to theological teaching.  He’s not perfect.  But I think he really shows us a competent image in this opening chapter.

First of all, look at what Elihu does.  Elihu sits and listens.  He lets everyone else speak their words before opening up his mouth.  I realize that Elihu is young and he is likely respecting the older men.  But even so this is an incredibly competent approach!  When dealing with any issue, information is always helpful.  Elihu sits and listens and absorbs before speaking his mind.

Second, look at what Elihu says.  Elihu accuses Job’s friends of not developing true wisdom.  Elihu accuses them of not ending in wisdom.  He accuses them of having theology that is more self-justifying than anything else.  I think that this is a competent analysis.  I think this analysis of Elihu comes because Elihu spends so much time listening first.

In the end, I always look forward to Elihu’s speech.  As I said, he’ll make his mistakes, too.  But I think he sets a great example of how to posture oneself when preparing to address a situation.  Look.  Listen.  Observe.  When the time is right give a competent analysis rooted in legitimate observation.

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Year 5, Day 108: Job 14

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency, Up

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.
• Up: Up is the word we use for what we worship.  If we are following God’s will, God will occupy the Up position.  Our life, our identity, our mission, our family on mission is all derived from Up.  This is why God needs to be in our Up position.

The end of this chapter is a very deep sentiment as expressed by Job.  A man mourns only for his own pain.  In other words, we are inherently selfish.  We are inherently focused on our own needs and our own concerns first.  On one hand, this completely makes sense.  I spend every waking moment in my own life.  You spend every waking moment in your own life, too.  Simply from that perspective, it should make sense that I am focused on my own life.

However, do you recall what Jesus calls the two greatest commandments?  Jesus tells us to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, and mind.  Jesus tells us that the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Do you hear what is mysteriously missing from that?  Jesus doesn’t tell us to focus on ourselves.  He tells us to focus on God and our neighbor.  I think this is because Jesus knows that we won’t have any difficulty at all focusing on ourselves.

But I can’t help but wonder how this applies to being a disciple of Jesus.  Is God my Up?  When things are going well, is God my up?  When my life is crashing around me, is God my Up?  Am I really competent at worshipping the Father in all situations, not just when it is convenient for me?

What about my neighbor?  Am I as competent at worrying about my neighbor as I am at worrying about my own life?  I’m so naturally focused on my own life and my own needs.  How tuned in am I to the needs of the people that God is putting into my life?

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Year 5, Day 102: Job 8

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

The more I read through the book of Job, the more I value the ability to listen.  I used to love to talk.  Okay, I still do love to talk.  But I have learned the value of talking less.  Many of the deepest conversations I have begin with me doing a good 15 or 20 minutes of listening where I don’t say much of anything.

You see, good listening skills help to make people competent.  When we listen, we get a better handle on what is actually happening.  When we listen to what is actually happening, we can get a better grip on what actually needs to be said or done.  If we want to be competent, we need to have more than a good education or a profound understanding.  We need to listen.

Listen to Bildad here in this passage.  Bildad starts off with some really great pieces of wisdom.  He knows what to say!  He seems like he’s got all the clichés memorized and knows how to put them out there.  When looking on the surface of these words, it is easy to read what Bildad says and completely miss the error.

The error is in his application.  Bildad doesn’t know Job as well as he could have.  Apparently Bildad hasn’t been listening.  Bildad wants to jump straight to the problem.  Bildad believes – because he hasn’t taken the time to listen competently – that Job is in turmoil because he’s lost his righteousness.  Bildad believes that if Job can just become righteous again that God will once more fight on behalf of Job.

Bildad’s missed the point.  For all of Bildad’s understanding and all of his clichés, he’s missed the point.  Job’s not in turmoil because he is unrighteous.  Job’s in turmoil because he is righteous.  Bildad’s inability to listen leads him into incompetency.

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Year 5, Day 68: Esther 8

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

There is one thing that is true about Mordecai.  He may not have chosen wisely by not bowing down before Haman – even if he had his reasons.  But from that moment on – from the moment that he learned about the destruction of the Jews – he has made every step count.  He has been obedient to God’s will at every step.  He has been a competent follower of God, waiting upon God to lead his actions.

Even here in this chapter we see Mordecai’s competence.  Mordecai is promoted through Esther’s influence.  But look at what he does with that promotion.  For the record, note that Esther is a part of this as well, revealing her competence as a follower of God as well.

Mordecai and Esther don’t force the king to admit that he had made a mistake.  They don’t force the king to repeal his edict.  In fact, in many cultures kings were looked upon as infallible, so for a king to admit they had judged something incorrectly was an admission that they were unfit to rule!  No.  Mordecai and Esther go before the king and ask that something be done about the edict.  They are competent in that they achieve what needs to be done and allow the king to save face.

The Jewish people are allowed to defend themselves.  Anyone foolish enough to attack them would have to pay a heavy price.  King Ahasuerus does not need to repeal this edict, but he is allowed to make life miserable for anyone desiring to act upon his earlier edict.

All of this brings me to perhaps an even greater truth.  What is it that we see Mordecai and Esther being truly competent at doing here?  They are competent at being gracious.  Everyone knows that the king messed up and listened to bad advice.  But they are gracious in that they don’t humiliate the king.  They are gracious in that they allow the king to make a mistake without rubbing it in his face.  They are gracious in that they still allow the king to go on and move forward in spite of the mistake.  That’s a truly Christian calling right there.  People will always make mistakes around us.  The question is whether we will allow them to continue on and give them a second chance with our support or will we humiliate them and cause them to lose face?  Grace allows mistakes to be made while still being able to support the one who made the mistake.  

Mordecai and Esther are great models of competency in this chapter, especially when it pertains to grace.

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Year 5, Day 60: Nehemiah 13

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency, Obedience

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.
• Obedience: Genuine and satisfying obedience comes out of our identity.  Our true identity comes only from our Father.

In Nehemiah 13 we see that the Hebrew people quickly devolve into sinful patterns when Nehemiah leaves to report to the Persian King.  After all Nehemiah does and after all God has done for the Hebrew people, they revert back to sinful patterns in life very quickly.  It isn’t long before they are making decisions based upon what makes sense according to human logic.  It isn’t long before they are defining the terms of their life by human standards.

You see, God isn’t looking for people who can rationalize things out along human reasoning.  God sent His Son into the world by becoming man.  That doesn’t make sense.  God sent His Son to die.  That doesn’t make sense.  God raised His Son from death on the third day.  That doesn’t make sense.  God asks we believe this to be true and profess it to others.  That doesn’t make sense, either.  Let’s face it, God’s action seldom ever meshes well with human logic and reasoning.

What does God ask of us?  How are we to continue living godly lives while existing in this world?  God wants us to be competent.  He wants us to accomplish what He asks of us.  He doesn’t want us to set the agenda; He wants us to fulfill His agenda!  This naturally leads us to the idea that God also asks us to be obedient.  If He sets the agenda, He expects us to obey that agenda.

The Hebrew people get themselves into trouble on both of these accounts.  They forget who is setting their agenda.  They also forget that they are supposed to be obedient to God’s ways rather than living up to human logic.

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Year 5, Day 38: Romans 15

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Competency

• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

Romans 15:18 is a powerful verse.  “For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience.”  Now there is focus.  There is an agenda.  There is a man who understands God’s calling in his life and has the competency to accomplish it.

Imagine what this looked like in Paul’s life.  Everywhere that Paul goes he is looking for ways to speak about Christ and invite people into a relationship with Christ.  Everywhere Paul goes is an opportunity.  Every thought he has is directed to his ministry and his calling.  Again, that’s a comment upon the competency that Paul ahs within him.

Now, do get me wrong.  I’m sure Paul had good days and bad days.  I’m sure there were days that he kept focus more easily.  After all, non e of us are able to be perfect.  But Paul sets a high standard.

I have to ask if that is the standard that I set for myself.  Sure, I don’t attain that standard every day.  But is it even the standard to which I try and attain?  Do I live my life so that I may boast only about what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gospel to others?  If I want to be competent in Christ, that’s a great place to begin.

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Year 5, Day 10: 2 Kings 12

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Calling, Competency

• Calling asks whether or not God has called the person to the particular work at this point in their life.
• Competency: Being able to accomplish what one is called to do.

One of my favorite parts of this story is the turn of events in the middle of the chapter.  We are told that there is a plan to repair the temple and the priests are put in charge of the repairs.  And then we are told that nothing happens.  We don’t know why the repairs don’t get done; see my blog post from three years back to hear a couple of theories.

But then we are told that the king comes in and appoints construction workers – think general contractors – to oversee the project.  Almost immediately the repairs are begun and they are finished in good order.

This teaches us a really good lesson in human affairs: put people in charge over tasks about which they are both called and competent.

The priests were not trained in making repairs.  They didn’t know how to do most of the repairs and they wouldn’t know how much it would cost.  The priests were trained in things like sacrifice and maintaining the religious order in the temple.  When they were put in charge of the physical building, the repairs don’t get done.  The wrong people are in charge!  That doesn’t make the priests bad, it just means they were put in charge of something about which they were neither called nor competent!

How many times do we do this in life?  Or even, how many times do we do this in church?  We assume that just because someone is good in teaching theology that they could also be on a property team or a finance committee.  Or we assume that just because someone is a great greeter that they would make a good spiritual leader for a church council or board of elders.  No, we should all stop thinking that way.  Let people do what God has called them to do.  And let’s give people permission to have places of both lack of calling and lack of competency and therefore set other people up in those areas to allow them to not participate in those areas.

When the priests were allowed to just be priests and called and competent contractors were called upon to do the work, the work got done!  What an incredible lesson about allowing people to just do the task that God has called them to do.

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