Be a Bezaleel
Hi, friends! Over the last month or so I’ve been reading along with TimeWarp Wife through the book of Exodus. It’s been a bit challenging, to say the least. Now, in case you thought I was super spiritual (haha!), let me say that I’ve considered giving up several times. The story does dry up and get a bit boring after the crossing of the Red Sea. But I’ve persevered through the chapters detailing what the priests should wear, what they should offer, and how the Tabernacle was to be built.
I’m glad stuck it out, because something new really jumped out at me this morning in chapter thirty-one.
See, I have called by name Bezaleel…and I have filled him with the spirit of God…and all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. Exodus 31:2-5
Can we think about Bezaleel for just a minute? Chances are that he did not have a thriving business in Egypt. He probably wasn’t spending his days cutting stones, and making beautiful adornments out of gold and silver. If he was, he was making these things for the Egyptians to hang in their great buildings and homes. Bezaleel was a slave, who most likely spent his days hauling mud, making bricks and building the great pyramids of Egypt.
But, when it came time to build the beautiful Tabernacle, God said, “I have called by name Bezaleel.” He chose Bezaleel by name. He didn’t just choose a random person, or tell Moses to just find someone he thought could handle the job. This tells me three things about Bezaleel that I feel I can use in my own life.
- Be willing. God uses people who are willing and committed. It’s true that God can accomplish His will however He wants, and He doesn’t necessarily need you and me to do it. But, He loves to use us. I’ve often heard it said that when God calls us to do something, He really does the work through us, then rewards us as if we’ve done something great! The Bible says that God filled Bezaleel with the spirit of God, and workmanship. God can only fill a person who is ready and willing to be used.
- Hone your skills. Bezaleel did not just wake up one morning with the ability to work with wood, gold and stone. Have you read the specifications for the Tabernacle? They were very specific in size, shape and number. Somewhere along the way, even while he was a slave, Bezaleel learned about his craft. He studied and practiced and became the best in the nation of Israel at what he did.
- Use everything you have. If you look at all of Bezaleel’s skills, they seem kind of random. After all, you don’t generally find a man who is talented with gold and silverwork, as well as with wood and stone. But Bezaleel was, and it seems that he was ready to do whatever he could with his talents for God.
I thought of Bezaleel and all the other people who helped to build the Tabernacle. They had talents and skills that were probably unused, or unappreciated before. Or they may have used their skills for things that didn’t necessarily make them happy, or even help them survive. They spent their days as slaves, working for someone else. But they kept using their talents. Maybe Bezaleel worked in his little hut at night after he got home from a long day of hauling mud. Maybe he carved little figures for his children to play with.
Maybe those women who sewed the curtains for the Tabernacle had spent years sewing only the clothes on their families’ backs, and little adornments for their homes. Maybe they sewed pillows, blankets, clothing or other household items for the Egyptians, or their temples.
Whatever Bezaleel and the others did in Egypt, they must have learned and developed skills. They became good at what they did, even if it seemed pointless or random. Even though it seemed that they would never do anything besides be a slave.
As a stay-at-home mom to young kids, my life feels this way sometimes. I have skill and talents, but seemingly nowhere to use them. It seems that much of my life is poured out serving someone else, and the dreams that burn inside me get pushed to the back burner for a while. How can God even use the random skills I possess?
Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever wondered why you have a particular talent or skill? Have you ever wanted to use your abilities for a purpose, but you just can’t figure out what it is?
I want to encourage you to be a Bezaleel. Don’t give up on your skills. Don’t stop honing your talents. Maybe you’re spending your nights practicing a new cookie recipe, staying up late to write a blog post, taking pictures of friends on the weekends, burning the midnight oil to finish a project, or taking an online class to learn a new skill. Maybe you have several random hobbies, like singing and knitting, or baking and organizing. It seems like those things could never be put together into some cohesive plan.
Guess what? God made you exactly like you are. He gave you the skills and talents that you need, and He has a plan for you–even if you don’t know what it is right now. When Bezaleel was a slave in Egypt, he could never have guessed that he’d one day be the master builder of one of the greatest structures in Biblical history. But He just kept working, planning, developing his skill and being willing for God to use Him.
That’s what I want for you and me. Don’t give up on the talents God has given you. Don’t stop singing, baking, sewing, knitting, writing, photographing, reading, or whatever else your talents may be. Don’t decide that there couldn’t be a plan for your seemingly random abilities. The God of Heaven wants to use you–all of you. Your dreams aren’t a surprise to Him. He gave them to you, and He has a plan for you. God may be planning a Tabernacle, and He needs someone just like you to build it.
PS–Did you know that I write a weekly devotional? Every Monday morning you’ll get a verse to memorize, and a short thought to ponder. Click here to subscribe and get it delivered directly to your inbox!
