He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. – Psalm 78:70-72
Success is a combination of both skills and heart. I learned that from watching professional sports. All successful athletes, after winning major championships are equal parts “heart” and “skill.” The difference between the average Jonathan (like you and me) and championship professional athletes is that they have a specialized skill set which they developed over a lifetime. I’m sure they also had a lot of God-given ability as well. All that said, we have to admit that having the right skill set will only take you so far (just look at all the professional athletes that play the game and never win it big) and likewise, having the heart without the skill set can only take you a short distance (just look at all the fans in the stadium and on their couches watching the athletes play). However, that doesn’t change the fact that all of us, those of us with any type of ambition anyway, want to make it big and become successful one day (in some area of life) and that day can’t come soon enough. The two things we need in realizing success is and has always been “heart” and “skills.” What most athletes don’t have more of than the average Jonathan, is heart. Yes, I might never realize my childhood dream of a professional sports athlete; but I can boast that I have the heart of a champion and skills to be a humble servant leader in Christ – you know, that being my professional realm and all. You see, we all have been training a skill set for longer than we know and for things we neglect. If you put that heart of God with the skills you developed carved from your life experiences that God knew you would live through, then you are CHOSEN by God. God chose David from out of nowhere because of his “heart” and because of his “skills”. David didn’t have to position himself in a special way. He didn’t jump up and down garnering foolhardy attention. He did what had been doing and continued to do what he was doing until an opportunity arose. I’m not going to tell you that taking care of little baby lambs with the skill of a surgeon is the way to victorious and even successful living. I will tell you that if you are faithfully doing what God has placed in your heart to do– that is, living your passion in an uncompromising way with all the skills you’ve developed, then you will get your opportunity and you will be ready for it, and it’ll be big. It takes both skills and heart to do anything worthwhile in this life. Cultivate the skills God gave you and ask God to mold your heart into His own because you are chosen by Him.
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