True Words of Wisdom

I was struck recently about the real words of wisdom in Proverbs 2.  The whole chapter contains such great advice for anyone, especially leaders.  There is a call to action, the rewards for that action are clearly spoken of, and there are clear consequences for those who do not heed the call to action.  Let me give you a few snippets:

Call to action

Verses 1-4 tell us we are called to:

• Store up the commands that will follow within you

• Turn your ear to wisdom – we have to be willing to listen to wisdom, and not just secular wisdom (especially not secular wisdom) but godly wisdom

• Apply this wisdom to your heart so you will gain understanding

• We are to call out for insight – it just doesn’t come without our calling out for it

• We are to cry aloud for understanding – this is not an tearful cry but an impassioned pleading to gain understanding

• We are to treat it as silver (valuable) and search for it as hidden treasure

Simple, yet profound truths

• The Lord gives wisdom – real, truthful wisdom does not come from any other source, despite what we may want to believe

• The Lord holds victory in store for the upright and He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless

• He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

• Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men – there are many wicked people out there, and the only way we will be saved from them is to really know wisdom that comes from one source and one source only.

Rewards for that action

• After following the call to action, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God – how awesome is that!

• After following the call to action, then you will understand what is right and just and fair

• After following the call to action, wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul

• After following the call to action, discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you

Notice that in each of these, we must take an action first before the reward comes.  I know that is contrary to our “instant gratification” and “microwave solutions” world we live in today, but it is reality.

Consequences for those who do not heed the call to action

• For not following the call to action, you will wind up being influenced by wicked people who will take you to places you don’t want to go

• For not following the call to action, you will be taken by devious people who are out for themselves, despite what they tell you

• For not following the call to action, you will be considered wicked and you will be cut off from the land, or cut off from resources you need to just survive

• For not following the call to action, you will be considered unfaithful and will be torn from the land that provides resources needed for survival.

Where do you get your wisdom from? I talked about this in an earlier post on Who Are You Listening To? As we can see, it really does matter. We must be very diligent as to whom and where we go to for answers to our questions, for advice in our problems and for guidance to live life.  As the Lord is the only source of true and real wisdom, those who desire this wisdom (which is like a hidden treasure) need to spend a lot of time listening to Him.  Leaders, are you listening to Him or to the world?

What is it I really treasure?  That depends on my motivation, interests and attention.  If my motivation, interests and attention are on obtaining and understanding the wisdom that is available to me only from God, I will spend a great deal of time there.  If my motivation, interests and attention are to obtain the comforts of this life, of the riches of this life, then I will spend a lot of time in that secular world listening to what it has to offer and implementing the techniques it claims will bring happiness and contentment.

There is so much wisdom in this book of Proverbs.  What else are you finding in it?

Who Are You Listening To?

We live in a world where leaders are constantly bombarded with messages that make big promises or guarantees.  All kinds of people and organizations are clamoring to get your attention.  If you sit back and analyze some or all of the clamoring, I bet you’d agree that it comes from people and organizations that want something from you rather than are willing to give you something.  Am I right?   The secular world is placing a tremendous amount of pressure on organizational leaders of all types to follow their leadership methods and to turn their backs on God’s methods.

As leaders committed to following a Biblical worldview and Biblical principles, we have to be careful who we are listening to for information on how to do this leadership thing better. We have to be careful where we are seeking advice to handle life’s difficult problems.  We are running the great risk of relying on the “wisdom” of the secular world instead of God’s wisdom. We can easily be led astray even by well-intentioned individuals, consultants, bosses, or other advisors who we turn to in time of need.

Consider just a few verses from Scripture:

Psalm 1 talks about man being blessed if he follows the law of the Lord and walks in the counsel of the godly. The wicked, or those who don’t follow the law of the Lord, are like chaff that the wind blows away!

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (or discipline, depending on the translation used).

Proverbs 2 is clear about the requirement God places on us to consider carefully the sources from whom we obtain our wisdom; it spells out the consequences we will face if we fail to follow His wisdom. Consider verses 12-15:

“Discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight path to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.”

Does the description of wicked, evil, devious, perverse words remind you of the secular or worldly messages we are receiving today? You might think that I am being too harsh or exaggerating.  Yet think of the messages that focus on self, on short-term gain, on the ease of doing this or that technique, etc.  If they are not godly messages, God calls them evil, devious and wicked.

It seems to me that God is pretty clear about who He expects us to listen to and what He calls us if we listen to people who are not connected with Him and His purposes; He call them fools!  So, who are you listening to for your advice on being a leader, running a company, being a parent, or just being a friend to someone? Are you listening to God and godly people, or to fools?  Apparently, those are our only two choices.

Share with us what you do or would like to do to ensure you are listening to the right choice.