Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Talent (01/08/26)
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TITLE: Proverbial Success | Previous Challenge Entry
By April Wenzel
01/13/26 -
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But now, sitting among all the tech gadgets, he worried he might make a fool of himself and embarrass his grandson. He glanced down at the Bible in his lap and reminded himself to do everything heartily, for the Lord, and not for men.
As he looked up, the host nodded, then said, “You’re listening to the Proverbial Success Podcast, where we explore wisdom for everyday life. I’m your host, Guy Travers. Today, we’re chatting with award-winning artist Calvin Mariner about skill building. Calvin’s spent over forty years working as a sketch artist. His work’s been featured on the covers of books, albums, and magazines. Calvin, welcome to the show.”
“Thanks, Guy. It’s nice to be here.” Was that a lie, Calvin wondered? Did he really think it was nice to be here?
“Calvin?”
Calvin squirmed in his seat. “I’m sorry, can you repeat the question?”
“Sure. How did you get started sketching?”
“Hmm, I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t doodling or sketching.”
“You’re obviously a talented artist. When did you first notice you had artistic skills?”
“That’s an interesting question, but first, I think we need to define some terms.”
“Oh, which terms are those?”
“Talent and skill. Actually, we should probably add ability.”
“I guess I use those words interchangeably. Now you’ve got me curious. What’s the difference between ability, talent, and skill?”
“An ability is something you’re capable of doing. Well suited to do, but not necessarily something you excel at.”
“Okay, and a talent?”
“It’s innate. Something you’re born with. A talent allows you to perform naturally at a higher level. Call it a super-ability.”
“Ooh, like a superpower!”
Calvin chuckled. “Sure. A superpower.”
“Okay, I’m tracking. So then what’s a skill?”
“A skill is a talent or an ability that’s been developed through training and or experience. It takes time, dedication, and hard work.”
“That’s a big difference. It sounds like ability and talent are passive, but skill takes action.”
“That’s right.”
“Great! That leads us to today’s topic: skill building. You know, Calvin, when your grandson contacted me, he raved about your talent. But now I’m curious, would you say you started with a talent or just an ability?”
“According to my parents and teachers, very early on, I performed at a high level. So, I’d say I started with a God-given talent.”
“And when did you decide to turn that talent into a skill?”
“In high school, as I considered my future, I decided I wanted to be a good steward of the gift God gave me, so I committed to mastering it and sharing it with others.”
“That’s fantastic. And what would you say is the key to achieving mastery-level skills?”
“I’d say three things. First, learn everything you can about your craft. Proverbs 18:15 says, ‘The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.’”
“That’s good advice. And second?”
“Diligence. I’m talking painstaking persistence. Proverbs 21:5 says, ‘The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.’”
“Ooh, I like that. And what’s your third nugget of wisdom?”
“This is the one most people struggle with. Consistency. It’s tempting to dabble with this and that, here and there. But you really need to choose something and practice it consistently. Once you’ve mastered it, you can move on to something else.”
“Could you be more specific?”
“Sure. Back in high school, my art teacher took one of my sketches and added shading. That irritated me, but I saw what my sketch could become. I practiced shading daily until I excelled at it, then I moved on to perspective.”
“Your hard work definitely paid off because your shading and perspective are amazing.”
“Thank you, Guy.”
“Thank you, Calvin, for taking the time to share your wisdom. And thank you to all my listeners. I’m your host, Guy Travers, and you’ve been listening to the Proverbial Success Podcast, where we explore wisdom for everyday life. That’s all until our next episode. In the meantime, may you rest in God’s grace today and forever.”
*fiction
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