City Life Starter

Written by Aisha Darwesh

The Word

¹ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ² But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³ He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 

Psalm 1:1-3

⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 

Galatians 6:7-9

¹² So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

Aisha’s Analysis

Today’s verses reveal three principles to help us cultivate competence in our day-to-day lives: 1) Commitment; 2) Consistency; and 3) Concentration. 

First, let’s start by defining competence. According to Merriam Webster, competence is the quality or state of having sufficient knowledge, judgment, skill, or strength (as for a particular duty or in a particular respect). Another way to identify your competencies is by asking yourself, What am I good at? or What do I do well? 

Competence is an expression of the gifts and talents God has placed inside us. People who operate in competence enjoy the fruit of a job well done and bless others as well. 

As great as competence is, it doesn’t just happen by osmosis. It takes commitment, consistency, and concentration. 

Psalm 1 reveals that God blesses the man who does not fall in step with the wicked, but is actively engaging with God through His word and is planted by rivers of water. The word “planted” connotes commitment, steadfastness, and faithfulness. I also like to think the river of water refers to the Spirit-guided Word of God, which shows us what to do and also brings constant refreshment and cleansing to the soul. 

As citizens of God’s Kingdom, we each have a Kingdom assignment. When you are committed to God and His ways, He will show you what that assignment is. Fulfilling God’s assignment requires being able to say no to certain things, so you can clear your mind and focus your energy on what He is calling you to. 

Staying committed to God and His Kingdom assignment is all about consistency. Once you’ve made a commitment, every decision you make should be consistent with that commitment. Suppose I make a commitment to live a healthier lifestyle, but only eat junk food and sit on the couch all day. That would be inconsistent with my commitment. In order to be consistent, I would need to go to the grocery store and buy nourishing foods, wake up early and hit the treadmill–stuff like that. 

For anyone who is trying to stay consistent, you know as well as I do, consistency is hard! I think there’s a reason Paul encourages us not to grow weary in well doing in Galatians 6:9. Staying consistent means that we have to deny ourselves on one level, so that we can glorify God on a much higher level. It’s not easy, but we just have to stay with it and remember the reward that’s coming if we don’t give up. 

Finally, concentration will help you zero in on your core competencies and eliminate distractions. It is vital not to mistake the urgent with what’s truly important to you. There will always be urgent things to do and tons of distractions while what’s important gets neglected. To concentrate on what’s important, we need the wisdom of God. Just as Psalm 90:12 urges us to do: we must ask God to “teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” 

Much like the tree that bears fruit in each season described in Psalm 1, we can be fruitful in life by staying committed in our relationship with God, consistent in our decisions to honor Him, and concentrated on what He’s calling us to do moment by moment. 

Application

Are you committed, consistent, and concentrated? Be honest with yourself and ask God to show you where you might be missing it. Take comfort in knowing that whatever God is calling you to do is doable because God is with you. He’s not going to leave you hanging. It is God in us that empowers us to bear fruit and prosper in whatever we do. 

Prayer

Father, I thank You for Your willingness and desire to do life with me. It’s because You’re with me that I can truly shine and be competent in the things You’re calling me to do. I bless the work You’re doing in me and trust that You are faithful to complete it. In Jesus’ name, amen.