(Prov 15:22 NIV) Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
This morning we continue our current series, As I thought about my approach to this verse I took a few moments to think about how awesome the experience of reading through and learning from the book of Proverbs actually is.
I have had the pleasure of working for and being around several key leaders in my work place and in ministry and I know valuable their time is. I’ve seen how many people – successful in their own right – have sought out the counsel of these great leaders. When the opportunity finally came and they were given an audience with the key leader, I watched as those who were seeking counsel came in prepared. They knew what they wanted to say, what questions they wanted to ask, and some of the things they wanted to learn.
They came in knowing, as Solomon has taught us, that wisdom can be transferred by association (13:20). I too have been a beneficiary of wise counsel. I have sought out work and ministry leaders and have done all that I could to receive their counsel and learn from their experiences. This leads me to what I was thinking about as I prepared for this message.
Think about who Solomon was. He was the leader of the Israel and Israel was booming under his leadership. His time was extremely valuable. Other heads of state traveled extreme distances just to get a few minutes with Solomon, to receive counsel from the wisest man in the land.
While we cannot meet Solomon in person, we are literally meeting with him every morning. As I sit at my computer and share with you what God shared with him, it is as though we were able to get an audience with Solomon himself. Let’s value this experience and learn from a man who received the crystal clear wisdom of God.
Using that as the backdrop, what do we learn from Solomon this morning? What does this master-teacher tell us? He tells us that it is wise to receive the counsel of others. It’s extremely foolish to think that you can execute great plans without discussing them amongst great minds. In chapter 11 Solomon told us, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (11:14). There is a certain level of safety and humility that comes from collective wisdom. Even Solomon surrounded himself with other great minds.
The New Living Translation of 11:14 really brings this out; it reads: “Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.” Yes, even the great Solomon was humble enough to admit that he could accomplish everything on his own. Great leaders surround themselves without other gifted leaders and they utilize their resources for the collective good.
John Maxwell says, “One is too small a number to achieve greatness.” He calls this, “The Law of Significance.” Maxwell also said, “We tend to think of great thinkers and innovators as soloists, but the truth is that the greatest innovative thinking doesn’t occur in a vacuum.” Ken Blanchard said, “None of us is as smart as all of us!” There is a certain level of safety in knowing that your plan(s) has been vetted by other great minds.
So what does this mean to you ? It means that you should not allow naïveté or pride to keep you from seeking, receiving, and applying the counsel of others. No matter how gifted you are the Father does not expect you to do everything on your own. You need others and they need you.
Seek the counsel of those who can pour into you and also seek out those you can pour into. Live is better when experienced with others!
Father, I thank You for blessing me to have an opportunity every morning to learn from You and Solomon. I am eternally thankful for the counsel, wisdom, insight, and revelation You impart into me daily. I will also seek out the counsel of others. I will not allow the plans You give me to fail because of naïveté or pride. I am humble enough to know that I don’t know it all. I submit myself to those You lead me to learn from and I surround myself with gifted people that I can pour into as well. Thank You Father for reminding me this morning that I am here to make a lasting impact in the lives of others. I can do that when I allow others to make an impact in my life. I refuse to live my life in a vacuum! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment