Skills And Diligence

Proverbs 10:4
A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 22:29
Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.

There are two attributes needed to be an effective provider for your home. One is skillfulness, the other is diligence.

Skillfulness is from an old english word which meant 'knowledge.' It is the ability to do something well, while possessing the knowledge, or having the necessary skills to perform a task with expertise.

Diligence means to have or show care and conscientiousness is one's work or duties.

Skillfulness and diligence should be the attributes that mark all men. If you are a man that has the necessary skills and diligence to provide for the needs of your family, this is honorable and glorifying to the Lord. But do you use these same qualities at home? Are you diligent and skillful to shepherd your wife and children? Are you a shepherd of your home first, and use your profession to provide for the needs of your family; or are you a professional first, and use your family to provide for the needs of the people you work for?

I confess that there have been many days when I have come home from work and am wore out from the labors of the day. I don't seem to have enough oomphta to diligently and skillfully care for the needs of my family. But there are far fewer days that I am too wore out from laboring skillfully and diligently for the needs of my family, that I don't have the oomphta to work in my profession. How about you?