Transcript
How important are man skills to being a man? Well, there are always life skills that are helpful. I'm thankful my dad taught me how to tie a tie. I can tie a Windsor knot. I can tie a forehand knot. I can do that. I'm thankful he taught me how to polish my shoes. I'm thankful my dad was a mechanical guy that could impart a lot of those kinds of mechanical skills that make living in a house easier.
Character Always Trumps Skills
But I know for sure that your life is not shaped by your collection of skills. Your life is shaped by the quality of your character. Character always trumps skills. Do I want to pass some of those things down to my boys? Well, I have. I think there are practical skills. You need to know how to greet a person.
I remember once, I was meeting somebody that was an important business colleague of my dad's, and the guy reached out his hand to say hello to me. I didn't even look at him. I mumbled, "Hello," and walk away. I had a lecture that night from my father, a lecture I never forgot. I'm very thankful. He said, "When you meet a person, the way to honor that person is you grab their hand, you look them in the eyes and you say, 'I'm glad to meet you.'" I'm thankful for knowing that.
But listen, your body will only ever go where your heart has already gone. That's why the Bible emphasizes the heart, why it emphasizes character because skills are helpful. They will make your life more productive and easier, but character always trumps skill.
