Don’t Confuse Skill with Sanction

Grab your cup, because today we’re spilling the tea on a foundational truth that is often overlooked, especially in leadership: Just because someone is good at something, it doesn’t mean it’s right, and it certainly doesn’t mean God is in it.

We live in a culture that worships competence. We look at someone who is charismatic, successful, and achieving results, and we immediately slap the label of “blessed” or “anointed” on them. We mistake capability for character.

But Scripture gives us a stark, repeated warning: Skill and proficiency do not provide a license to bypass ethics or divine command.

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)

The Danger Zone: Leading from the Outside In

This issue starts with identity. When a leader doesn’t know who God chose them to be—when they are constantly looking to others for grounding and confirmation—they rely on the applause, the political savvy, or the business acumen of this world for their foundation.

This is highly dangerous. They are operating on a borrowed image, resulting in a deep disservice to themselves and those they are misleading.

They are masters of the performance, but servants of deceit.

Biblical Tea Spilled on Skill vs. Soul

The pattern of failure repeats throughout history. Here are some of the most capable people in the Bible who had all the skills but were ultimately judged on their soul:

1. King Saul: The Perfect Package, the Empty Heart

Saul was the total package—a head taller than everyone else, a military success, and the first chosen king (1 Samuel 9:2). He was good at being king. But when God gave him a clear instruction, Saul compromised to save the spoil and please the people.

The Sip: His skill was sacrificed on the altar of his own vanity, resulting in the powerful divine reprimand quoted above (1 Samuel 15). Your capabilities mean nothing if they aren’t directed by obedience.

2. Absalom: Charisma Used for Chaos

David’s son, Absalom, was a political genius. He knew how to work the crowd and set up a PR campaign. He was good at winning hearts (2 Samuel 15:6).

The Sip: He used his genuine charisma to undermine his father and rebel (2 Samuel 15:1-12). All his wonderful skills were poisoned by ruthless ambition. Skill without moral grounding is merely a powerful weapon aimed at destruction.

3. Judas Iscariot: Trust Used for Treason

Judas was one of the twelve, entrusted with the group’s finances (John 13:29). He was capable, trusted, and in the closest inner circle.

The Sip: He used his privileged access and trust, his capability, to pursue greed, culminating in the ultimate betrayal (Matthew 26:14-16). Proximity to spiritual truth doesn’t guarantee integrity.

Modern Parallels: The Everyday Danger

This pattern of capable people crashing due to lack of character is not just for kings and CEOs. The same temptation to compromise happens on a smaller, more insidious scale for the everyday person.

1. The Skilled Volunteer (The Saul Parallel)

This person is excellent at organizing, budgeting, or leading a small team. They are good at this.

The Failure: Because they are so competent, they begin to feel indispensable and compromise obedience or integrity in small ways—padding expenses, cutting corners, or subtly seeking personal recognition over the group’s mission.
The Lesson: Competence masks small disobedience. The skill keeps them in the position, but their moral compromise destroys their grounding.

2. Charisma Used for Clicks (The Absalom Parallel)

The person gifted at creating engaging content or being the “star” of their local circle.

The Failure: They use their charm and communicative skill not to share truth, but to maintain their status or seek constant external confirmation, sacrificing authenticity for validation.
The Lesson: They are masters of performance, just like Absalom, proving that integrity is required for a small audience as much as a large one.

3. Trust in the Workplace (The Judas Parallel)

The efficient, reliable employee entrusted with small company assets, time, or client information.

The Failure: They use their access and organizational capability for minor greed or small acts of betrayal: padding a time sheet, lying to a client, or using confidential information for their own benefit.
The Lesson: They betray the small circle of trust (their employer, their team) for minimal, selfish gain. Integrity is required when handling five minutes of time as much as five million dollars.

The Takeaway: What We Must Seek

The next time you see someone successful, powerful, or undeniably skilled in their chosen field, pause before you offer spiritual confirmation.

The question is not: Are they good at this?

The question is: Is this good? And is this right?

True leadership, the leadership that is “of God,” is built not on proficiency, but on:

Integrity: Alignment between heart, word, and action.
Humility: The willingness to obey God even when it makes you unpopular.
Purpose: Using your skills to serve God’s mission, not your own image.

We must stop accepting that a person’s success (their skill) validates their behavior (their morality). Let’s start looking for the fruit of the Spirit, not just the fruit of their labor.

What biblical figure do you think had skill but used it truly for God’s glory? Drop a comment below!