Huram was highly skilled and experienced in all kinds of bronze work. 1 Kings 7:14
A man who was trained as a bookbinder stated that 41 steps were involved in binding a book. Every vocation calls for special skills. Technology cannot entirely replace handcrafts.
In person-to-person relationships special social skills are still necessary. No machine can render the human touch. Science cannot invent a surrogate mother – for example, an automation or robot – that can do what a loving mother so skillfully does: give tender, loving care to a baby, help keep the family together, and take an interest in what her children do.
To be an effective Christian requires skills. In His love God grants talents to us, and in His wisdom he gives them to each one, “just as He determines” (1 Corinthians 12:11). Several times Saint Paul enumerates such special talents and endowments that Christians have. These skills are to be used for the good of all, for the edification of Christ’s body, the church.
God wants us to develop the talents He has given us. They are a good foundation on which to build a life of service to God’s glory and the good of others. The shepherd boy, David, practiced his skills as a musician and poet, and he became a great psalmist. Helping to build Solomon’s beautiful temple was a man named Huram-Abi, who was “trained to work in gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, and with purple and blue and crimson yarn and fine linen” (2 Chronicles 2:14). Also gifted for performing skillful Christian services was Dorcas of Joppa (now part of Tel-Aviv), who sewed garments for the poor.
What skills can you sharpen to become a more competent Christian servant?
PRAYER: O Lord, help me to refine and sharpen my skills and grant me spiritual graces for Christian service. Amen.
(Devotions from "With Jesus Every Day" copyright 1997, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 21-22 Psalms 18 John 6:22-40
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