First Things First
Matthew 6: 33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
What's Christian About Engineering?
Exodus 31: 1-6
“In the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you.” Is the ability to design and build things a holy or spiritual pursuit? In the scriptures we find that God often gives the ability to design and build things to specific individuals. Two examples are Bezalel and Oholiab who helped build the tabernacle for the Lord. God spoke to Moses regarding these men. Moses records God’s words as “I have filled him [Bezalel] with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship. And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you” Exodus 31: 1-6 When Moses relays God’s words to the children of Israel, he says “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son or Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship, to make designs for working in gold and in silver and in bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work. He also has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs” Exodus 35:30-35. Notice that these were believers, filled with the Spirit of God, and skillful in design and construction with a variety of materials. Notice that the ability to do these things was a gift from God! God said “I have put skill” into these men. Also notice that the gift was not random, but that these people were selected or appointed to be able to perform these skills! Notice the character traits in the selected men: filled with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and skill. These men had character and skill! When the time came for the construction of Solomon’s temple, God again endowed an appointed man named Huram-abi for the job. “King Solomon then asked for a man named Huram to come from Tyre. He was half Israelite, since his mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father had been a craftsman in bronze from Tyre. Huram was extremely skillful and talented in any work in bronze, and he came to do all the metal work for King Solomon.” (1 Kings 7:13). 2 Chronicles 2:13-14 describes him as “a skilled man, endowed with understanding, the son of a Danite woman and a Tyrian father who knows how to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood, and in purple, violet, linen and crimson fabrics, and who knows how to make all kinds of engravings and to execute any design which may be assigned to him, to work with your skilled men and with those of my lord David your father.” 
Huram-abi is described as being “endowed with understanding,” or gifted with this ability. He worked in many types of materials, and was able to “execute any design which may be assigned to him.” What we begin to understand from these passages is that it is God who selects people to assign special abilities to design and make things. We even see that God intends for certain things to be made. In Bezalel and Oholiab’s case, He commanded it!
Engineers use their imagination and analytical skills to invent, design, and build things that matter. They are team players with independent minds who turn ideas into reality. By dreaming up creative and practical solutions, engineers are changing the world all the time. Engineering has been called the “invisible” or “stealth” profession. Everything around us and that we use every day has been engineered in some way yet we may not see the engineers behind the scenes or know much about engineering. Engineering has not been a part of a traditional grade school education, but thanks to STEM classes and programs such as FIRST robotics, it is becoming more and more accessible to all those who find themselves called to invent and design. |
It's Not All About UsPhilippians 2: 3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 
One of the reasons we like the FIRST organization so much is that it embraces our ideal of service to others. We consider the chance to serve others both a privilege and a command to be followed. We teach our team members that we do what we do in this area, not to be noticed, or to win a prize, but because our Lord calls us to a life of humility and service.
Why do we do outreach, help opponent teams, mentor middle schoolers? Because people matter, relationships matter, and obedience to our Lord matters. We are thankful that the FIRST organization gets it, too.
Gracious ProfessionalismThe wise in heart are called discerning,
and gracious words promote instruction. Proverbs 16:21 Dr. Woodie Flowers, FIRST National Advisor and Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, coined the term "Gracious Professionalism." Gracious Professionalism is part of the ethos of FIRST. It's a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions. Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process. They avoid treating anyone like losers. No chest thumping tough talk, but no sticky-sweet platitudes either. Knowledge, competition, and empathy are comfortably blended. In the long run, gracious professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. If one becomes a professional, and uses knowledge in a gracious manner, everyone wins. One can add to society and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you have acted with integrity and sensitivity. That’s good stuff! |
Nehemiah 2:18
I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me ... Then they said, "Let us arise and build."
So they put their hands to the good work.
I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me ... Then they said, "Let us arise and build."
So they put their hands to the good work.
