“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men” (Proverbs 22:29).
The Hebrew adjective mahir is here translated as “excel” (with a footnote of “prompt” in the NKJV). This is because it has a range of meaning which includes “quick, skillful, efficient, and diligent”. The richness of its meaning makes it a perfect choice for uncovering the hidden ingredients of success.
Skillful. To be successful, you will need some innate talent and interest in the work you are seeking to achieve. If you desire to be an accomplished pianist but have clumsy fingers and no sense of rhythm, the likelihood of rousing success is nil. Being skillful is a sturdy starting point and necessary foundation for increasing your talents.
Diligent. To be successful, you will need dogged persistence. There are no substitutes for hard work and a tenacious work ethic. Continuous pursuit of improvement and efficiency are essential. To be spiritually successful, diligence (spoude—Greek) is essential to your growth (2 Pet. 1:5-11) and accurate workmanship when handling God’s word (2 Tim. 2:15).
Excellence. To be successful, you must have high standards. An average person doing average things does not set himself apart from others; he will not stand out from a crowd, he will blend in. Spiritual growth and eternal success come from striving for excellence (Phil. 1:9-10), not mediocrity.
Regardless of whether you diligently strive for excellence in your life, you will stand before the King of kings (2 Cor. 5:10). Imagine the thrill of hearing His evaluation of your pursuit of spiritual success to be: “Well Done!”
