Not a Polymath? You're Still OK

Faithful on the Clock is a podcast with the mission of getting your work and faith aligned. We want you to understand Who you're serving and why so you can get more joy and legacy from every minute spent on the clock. Thanks for joining us and taking this step toward a more fulfilling job and relationship with God!Want to join us on social media? We'd love to have you stay up-to-date with the show on all our platforms!ThreadsBlueskyFacebookPinterestInstagramLinkedInYouTubeIn this episode...Not a Polymath? You're Still OK https://faithfulontheclock.com/not-a-polymath-youre-still-ok The corporate world tells you to learn all the things, all the time. But being a specialist is 100 percent OK in the service of God, as Episode 123 of Faithful on the Clock highlights.Timestamps:[00:04] - Intro[00:37] - Origin of the concept of Renaissance (wo)man [01:24] - The modern viewpoint of multi-disciplinary learning[02:13] - Clarification of definitions: (modern) generalist polymath versus (traditional) genius polymath[04:00] - Inquiry — Do you need to be a genius polymath to succeed?[04:29] - The story of building the tabernacle, highlighting the difference between Bezalel and the other workers[06:43] - Emphasis on the value of specialists in the service of God[08:52] - Prayer[09:30] - Outro/What’s coming up nextKey takeaways:Today, we still maintain the idea of a Renaissance man or woman who seeks multidisciplinary learning and skills. But when we talk about being a polymath, we consider the term to mean someone who is a well-rounded generalist, rather than to mean a genius who has the capacity to specialize across many areas.Even though we have shifted the definition of polymath, we still strive toward constant learning hoping to rise to the traditional definition.In the story of building the tabernacle, only Bezalel is described as having all kinds of skills across many areas — that is, as a genius polymath. Other workers have skills, too, but the fact their skills are not listed out suggests they are probably specialists, and that Bezalel was given his abilities to ensure that he could oversee the others to a detailed degree as they completed the tabernacle work.Most of us want to be Bezalel, but the tabernacle could not have been built without the specialists. It’s OK to focus on the area God has gifted you in and to collaborate with others for the larger whole. Doing that can allow you to slow down into the peace God wants for you.Being a Genius Polymath Is Nice, But Specific Expertise Serves God, Too - faithfulontheclock.comCTAs:Look at a variety of job listings. Don’t worry about whether you’re qualified or have trained for specific positions. Instead, simply identify which type of position you’d be willing to go into depth with. Be specific about why!Consider all the components of your current job. What components would you need to eliminate or delegate so the position is more concentrated toward one specialization or spiritual gift?What’s coming up next:Do you heed the warnings others try to give you in your work? Episode 124 of Faithful on the Clock uses the story of Balaam’s donkey to show you why you should.Support the show!Visit the Faithful on the Clock Patreon page to choose a tier plan and become a supporting member. You'll gain access to goodies like early episode access, newsletters, and more based on the plan that's right for you.patreon.com/faithfulontheclockGive a one-off tip or donation on our Captivate support page. You can become a member there with the same great tier options you'll find at Patreon, too.Support Faithful on the Clock Visit our sister site! Faithfulonthclock.com features additional free, free-with-registration, and paid access content to grow your faith, including social media archives, previously published faith-based articles, original blogs, inspirational videos, episode teasers and replaysexclusive faith-based essays and articles, exclusive videosexclusive audioexclusive in-depth devotionals.Share the show! Like these episodes? Share them on social media, in texts or emails, or in person.