Don’t settle for less, #03: don’t let your skills atrophy

Don't let your skills atrophy.  It’s the third in a series of traits for successful people in the secular world that we’re going to look at.  However, we’re going to see how these same traits can be applied to becoming a “successful” Christian.  Someone who not only has an idea what Christianity is really about, but who also lives it.  Finally, who also does the Great Commission and not what Dallas Willard calls the Great Omission. Don't settle for less, #03: don't let your skills atrophy is article #5 in the series: Settling for less. Click button to view titles for entire series With that in mind, here’s the third, from 23 Things Successful People Never Do on bestlifeonline.com: Don’t let your skills atrophy

You know that you need to work out your body, but are you working out your mind? Just like your muscles, your professional skills need to be developed and improved on to stay in good shape. Successful people make sure to balance leg day with some serious stretching and refreshing of their knowledge.

"After studying the patterns of hundreds of people in business that I admire, one thing that they all have in common is a hunger for learning," says Latrice. "They are constantly reading books, watching training, and feeding their minds with tools to grow in their field."

You know, I don't have to change much about those tips at all to have them apply to someone who really wants to lead a Christian life.  Maybe we don't consider being Christian a profession.  Truth be told, it isn't.  It's more important than a profession.  After all, jobs demand anything from a few hours here and there to a considerably longer time.  When I was in management, I was on call 24x7. But even there, it wasn't really, literally, all day long every single day.  Yes, there were times when I actually did work 17 hours a day 6 or 7 days a week for many months.  However, even that pales in comparison to what Jesus asks for those who follow Him.

The Greatest Commandment - Matthew

22:34-40 pp — Mk 12:28-31

Mt 22:34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Mt 22:37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Don't let your skills atrophy

Say what?  What do Jesus' words have to do with letting our skills atrophy?  For that matter, what does it have to do with skills at all? Read on.  It's coming. “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Yeah - how about that.  All of our soul.  And our heart.  Even all of our mind.  Even at work, most people get time for breaks and meals.  But Jesus wants everything.  All of us.  Even the breaks and the meals. Don't believe it?  Check out what Paul wrote on the subject.  We need to read carefully.  There is a message here, but we can't just pull out one line and run with it.

The Believer’s Freedom

1Co 10:23 “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Let's look at that.  Paul writes twice that everything is permissible.  And yet, each is followed by a reason to not necessarily do "everything".

10:23 This is a return to the subject begun in chapter 6:12 about how to balance Christian freedom and responsibility (cf. Rom. 14:19). Verses 23–33 address the strong brother.

We need to keep in mind that Paul wrote this to a church that was having issues.  Specifically, this part is about how to balance the freedom a Christian has with the responsibility that we also have.  We also need to take into account that when Paul writes "everything", as in Everything is permissible, it's not to be taken literally.  It's hyperbole.  An exaggeration, to make a point.