Not a Polymath? You're Still OK

Episode 123 of the Faithful on the Clock podcast, hosted by Wanda Thibodeaux, titled "Not a Polymath? You're Still OK" was published on April 7, 2025 and runs 10 minutes.

April 7, 2025 ·10m · Faithful on the Clock

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Episode Description

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In 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 next

Key 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.com

CTAs:

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.

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