Proverbs 22:29 “Seest thou a man diligent in his business?  He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.”

The last three posts about Godly wisdom are not meant to detract from the necessity for Christians to prepare themselves through diligence and hard work.  Daniel and Joseph thrived based on both spiritual and professional preparation.  While we should always humbly recognize that only the Lord can give us true wisdom, failing to prepare properly to succeed in life can limit our potential for influence.  Sadly, some Christians eschew education, shun scholarship and dodge development just to be counter-cultural.  It is then no surprise that they are unable to stand before kings with a credibility that compliments their testimony.

Wisdom should be approached like a typical prayer request.   ‘You should work as if it is all up to you, and pray as if it is all up to God.’  Doing so does not deny wisdom’s ultimate source, but provides a personal context within which to assimilate wisdom.

We need American Christians who can stand before kings with sterling testimonies AND resumes.  We need American Christians who can stand before kings with unfaltering faithfulness AND expertise.  We need American Christians who can stand before kings with stellar humility AND pedigree.  We need American Christians who can stand before kings with distinct levels of faith AND accomplishment.  We need American Christians who can stand before kings with unwavering reliability AND credibility.

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD FAITHFULLY DEVELOP ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.  We must impact our land through all avenues available to us, and stand before kings with multi-dimensional distinctiveness.