Proverbs 10.17
“Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof wanders aimlessly and leads others astray.”
Once we are saved, the journey of spiritual growth begins. I describe it as a journey because that is precisely what it is. Growing in Christ and building skill is the lifelong journey of maximizing your God-given abilities. It’s about becoming the person that God created you to be.
Keep in mind that the process of building skill is slow, small, and daily. It doesn’t happen quickly, it doesn’t happen in big leaps, and it requires consistent focus and effort. It is the relentless commitment to being better today than you were yesterday, and better tomorrow than you were today.
Building skill in any area of your life requires three commitments:
- Choose the mindset.
- Do the work.
- Be coachable.
Let’s look at the first commitment: Choose the Mindset
It is often said that successful people are “gifted,” but that is very misleading. The deciding factor in building skill isn’t talent; it is the mindset and motivation to do the work to get better. It is committing to the process of musar. The reality is that talent is a gift, but mindset is a choice. Anyone can build effective skill if they are motivated and energized by a “get better” mindset.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12.2)
This is why scripture emphasizes renewal of the mind. Mindset — that is, mental state — is the initial driver and motivator of learning and growth. Here is the mindset of people who are committed to growing and getting better. In the language of Proverbs, we can call this a musar mindset.
- Growing and building skill takes time and effort. I will invest the time and be tenaciously persistent.
- I understand that discomfort is part of the process. If I try to avoid discomfort, I will prevent learning.
- I will make mistakes, and they will teach me. The process of learning is about progress, not perfection.
- I want feedback and coaching. I want instruction and correction.
This get better mindset — the musar mindset — isn’t natural or easy. It needs to be constantly cultivated and protected. The old nature rejects growing and getting better. It does not want to learn. It does not want instruction or correction.
“Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1.7)
“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” (Proverbs 12.1)
Also, resist the temptation to relegate the Lord’s training only to so-called “spiritual” things. The wisdom of God teaches and instructs us to be disciplined and skillful in every dimension of life, including our work. Christians trained by musar will be very good at executing their job-related tasks and responsibilities, whether in the field, forest, factory, fellowship, or family. They will work hard to learn the knowledge and skills necessary for doing their job with excellence.
“Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” (Proverbs 22.29)
Trust God, do the work, and get better.
