In Spiritual Leadership Principle-Wisdom (pt.1) we learned Solomon become king at a young age. One of the first things he did was to ask God for wisdom to lead the nation. I wrote about the core of wisdom and what it takes to be an indispensable Christian leader. Click here to read the first part.
The greatest leadership attribute
Godly wisdom is a foundational attribute of a great leader. A leader can have talent, strong communication skills, a vision, tremendous courage, and produce change; however, to fully maximize our effectiveness for the Kingdom of God and reach our potential then we must have and strive to increase in Godly wisdom. It is often the missing attribute between a person who is living successfully while on the path to leaving a lasting legacy and someone who is just living.
Growing in wisdom
Proverbs 4:7 says, “Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do! And whatever else you do, get good judgment.” I have learned this about gaining wisdom:
1. God can give wisdom to anyone at any time. He does not base giving wisdom on the person or age. It’s more dependent on the person’s heart and desire for it.
2. God allows us to turn learning and experiences into wisdom and good judgment.
The first can come quickly while the second comes only with time.
In How to Grow in Wisdom I mention 3 ways a person can increase in wisdom: grow in knowledge, gain experience, and seek a higher power. The discussion in the comment section provided other ways we can grow in wisdom.
- Juan Cruz said, “Wisdom comes from fearing the Holy one of Israel himself, the Lord.” Proverbs says, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” If we expect to grow in Godly wisdom it requires having the fear of the Lord. Strive to fear the Lord by serving Him fully.
- Dan Erickson, Ngina Otiende, Loren Pinilis, Nathan Magnuson, Scott Kerzner, and Bill Grandi each provided unique answers with one core message which was to associate with the wise. To spend time and get advice from those who display wisdom. Proverbs 13:20 says, “Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.” It might be a good idea to evaluate and if needed readjust who you spend your time with.
- Jason Vana said, “Learn from others. I know a lot of smart people who try to figure things out themselves, and fail to learn from the mistakes and triumphs of others.” The wise learn both from the successes and failures of people so they can better advance forward. Remember, “The wise person makes learning a joy, fools spout only foolishness.”~Proverbs 15:2
The Rewards of Wisdom
The reward King Solomon received after asking and receiving wisdom was two-fold. First Gods name was spread and glorified. Second Solomon increased in influence. This can be seen in 1 Kings 3: 28:
“The word got around—everyone in Israel heard of the king’s judgment. They were all in awe of the king, realizing that it was God’s wisdom that enabled him to judge truly.”
This is also the reward faith leaders can see when they have and grow in Godly wisdom. To read some of the other benefits of wisdom check out my past post 20 Rewards to Having Wisdom.
Questions: How has having Godly wisdom impacted your life and leadership? What are some of the rewards you have seen from having Godly wisdom?
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