Proverbs 22.29
“Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”
This proverbs speaks to the importance of the people of God building and mastering functional skill. It states that those who work diligently and with exceptional skill will earn a strong person brand in the marketplace, and will get the attention of influential people.
I believe the message here is one that the Christian community has severely misunderstood and neglected.
From the beginning, God’s plan was to establish his kingdom on planet earth by living in and ruling through mankind. God created man in his image and gave man responsibility and stewardship over the world. The Lord created man to live and work on earth in a way that reflects God’s character and represents his rule. We were created to be bearers of God’s image and agents of his kingdom. This is the Prime Directive.
Man’s ability to have dominion and represent God’s kingdom is dependent on the presence of his image and life in us. (Gen.1.26-28; Psalm 8). The image of God within man was three-dimensional, and it equipped man with the unique attributes necessary for having dominion over the earth in a manner worthy of God’s standards.
The moral dimension. Knowing right and wrong, and doing what is right. This is character.
The functional dimension. Thinking wisely, acting productively, and building things that work effectively and display beauty. This is competence.
The relational dimension. Developing and sustaining a right relationship with God and with others. Simply put, love God and love others, and do so according to God’s standards of love. This is connection.
God created the moral, the functional, and the relational dimensions to operate together as an integrated whole. The individual elements are not designed to work in isolation; each element affects the other two. Additionally, strength in one dimension will not compensate for weakness in another. The three dimensions are the heartbeat of what it means to be created by God and to bear the Imago Dei. And again, this three-dimensional system was essential for mankind to fulfill the Prime Directive of being stewards for God who oversee his creation.
More tomorrow …
