Leaders Are Seekers: Leveraging Wisdom

Does anyone remember the magazine, “Reader’s Digest”, the commode companion? The American magazine capturing the general interest of American culture, its products, philosophies, happenings, etc ?

This magazine has had a tremendous impact not only in America, but in the world. Needless to say but the influence this magazine had was worldwide.

Well, likewise, and more influential is God’s Word. And today we find ourselves in the book of Proverbs. This book is based on Wisdom, and the source of real wisdom, not the conventional type the world offers.

God’s Word is a leader’s digest! we don’t just read it, we lead it because its alive and active.

The book of Proverbs is all about wisdom. The literary genre of Proverbs is “wisdom literature”, which is among the ranks of Job and Ecclesiastes.

Much more could be said about the nuances of wisdom literature, and how the other books within this genre bring more dynamic and comprehension to the contours of seeking wisdom, and walking in wisdom through God’s world with His wisdom, but for now, we’ll just focus on and some N.T. applications of wisdom.

The primary themes in Proverbs are wisdom and the fear of the Lord.

In , Solomon is writing to his son. It could be to his heir or a general reference, but the command is to seek after wisdom and knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. Likewise, as leaders, we are sitting under the inspiration of the Word to seek these commands from our Father, in His Word, by Christ, and through the Spirit.

We’re going to focus on the first four verses of Chapter 2. because there is a progression of obtaining or seeking wisdom, which are the conditions for developing wisdom.

Defining Terms

Wisdom is the capacity to understand and so have skill in living, implying adherence to a set standard. Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains.

the capacity to understand and so have skill in living, implying adherence to a set standard. Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains.

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 1981 I. דַּעַת

knowledge, i.e., information of a person, with a strong implication of relationship to that person

James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,

Condition: acceptance of wisdom.

remember, last study we talked about leaders being learners from , that a learner’s posture is humbleness.

Where one has to humbly submit himself to something greater than himself so as to learn from it.....well, that’s the same as receiving.

Treasure, the sense to hide something of value to protect it, memorize it() storing up God’s word so that he wouldn’t sin against God.

making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;

Condition: submission to the work of wisdom. Man’s heart drives his desires, reason, and volition. Inclining our heart isn’t an intellectual acknowledgment, but rendered action. (; )

yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,

Condition: humility. Wisdom called out and raised her voice (), esteem her call greater than your desire and temptations, and respond to it.

if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,

Condition: desire. To seek and search requires desire, a deep desire if one is going to develop wisdom. Jesus used hidden treasure in his parable about the “Kingdom of God.” ()

then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

Result: wisdom in one’s relationship with God. Wisdom starts with the knowledge of God.

For the LORD gives wisdom; from is mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Result: proper interpretation of reality. ()

Wisdom Incarnate

Messianic prophesy: There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ()

Call: We need to be praying intentionally for the Spirit of God to grant us wisdom and knowledge, which is fearing the LORD, our LORD Jesus Christ.

Leveraging Wisdom

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.

We’ve been granted the wisdom and knowledge, we just need to pursue it as directed in Proverbs. We’ve been given the power, its been granted to us, but its a delegated power based on God’s promises.

We’ve been given delegated authority as husbands with our spouses, its not a raw power or authority, but a contained and purposeful power and authority, which is to be fruitful for the building up of God’s kingdom, his glory, and our edification.

Group Discussion Questions

Based on the depth of seeking and searching for wisdom and inclining your heart to it, do you think you leverage your leadership for godliness?

If Christ is the treasure of God’s wisdom and knowledge, and we’ve been granted all things pertaining to life and godliness, what keeps you from seeking it and leveraging it?

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