You can accomplish a lot in life with these four things …

No two people who have ever lived, are currently alive, and will yet live are the same.

That includes what they want to do with the lives God has given them.

But generally speaking, there are two general types of people you’ll come across — those who want to accomplish something with the one life they have to live, and those who want a simpler existence.

Both can be good lives.

The first type of person is the kind who relate more with these words from the late President, Theodore Roosevelt:

“We have got but one life here … It pays, no matter what comes after it, to try and do things, to accomplish things in this life, and not merely to have a soft and pleasant time.”

The second type of person might latch on to these words written by the Apostle Paul:

“Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others,” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12.

Whether you want to achieve more or greater accomplishments, or that “quiet life” Paul writes of is more appealing to you, we should do something with our lives. And you can accomplish a lot with your life if you develop these four things:

Knowledge. The content of your life will largely expand or contract according to the knowledge you have. Actually, most of us have more knowledge than we put to use, but by growing in knowledge we can expand our possibilities. An example of this is that if you know how to read, there’s little you cannot learn; and by learning, you expand your knowledge which can enable you to broaden your accomplishments.

Skills. It’s one thing to have the knowledge to do something, quite another to also have the skills to do what you know. If you only possess knowledge, but don’t develop the skills to realize or “actualize” your knowledge, what you know is of little value to you. Part of learning, growing, and maturing is developing the skills we need to put our knowledge to good use.

Discipline. Many people start a lot of things in their lives but never finish them. Without the discipline to persist from start to finish, you won’t accomplish much, and your knowledge and skills will be squandered.

Courage. Finally, you’ll need the courage to put your knowledge, skills, and discipline into action. There will be plenty of detractors in life — people who will tell you you’re wasting your time, you should be doing something else, you should do what you’re doing differently, etc., and otherwise be discouraging or mocking voices to your pursuits. Courage pushes past the mockers and scoffers and all those who tell you “you can’t do it” and goes on to get it done.

These four things are of value in all aspects of life, but especially when considering we’re spiritual people who are called to be disciples of Jesus. It’s discipleship that equips us with knowledge (something the Bible persistently exhorts us to grow in) AND the skills to live like Jesus.

With such discipleship, God has supplied us with the capacity to exercise the much-needed discipline:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline,” 2 Timothy 1:7.

And the Bible rather voraciously exhorts us to not be afraid but have courage.

What are you doing with your life? Imagine what you could do with knowledge, skills, the application of discipline, and a little courage.

Scotty