Divine Community

(Prov 18:1 GNB) A loner is out to get what he wants for himself. He opposes all sound reasoning.

This morning we get back to our series. Since we are going verse-by-verse through the book of Proverbs this series is going to take years. It has already taken us over a year and a half to get through the first 17 chapters. I trust you are growing in the wisdom of God and I pray you continue to develop IN Him as we journey through this Biblical wisdom literature.

Back in chapter 11 Solomon said, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (11:14). No doubt, there is a level of safety in knowing that your plans have been vetted by other great minds. This safety/protection is one of the reasons why the Bible drives home the importance of divine community.

The Father never intended for us to be ‘lone rangers.’ Decisions that are made in a vacuum have a high probability of being poor ones. Ken Blanchard said, “None of us is as smart as all of us!” The most successful people are those that surround themselves with gifted individuals and then allow those individuals to utilize their gifts. But to welcome the counsel of others we must first acknowledge the fact that we don’t know it all and that we need others to help us maximize our purpose and potential. This requires a certain level of honestly and humility.

The nonconformist insists on doing things his or her own way, even when it conflicts with tested knowledge or approved methods. This person flies in the face of sound wisdom and their stubbornness often results difficult and often painful situations. Many of these can be avoided if we simply consult with those the Father has placed in our path. Furthermore, when we refuse to tap into the gifts of others, not only do we hurt ourselves, but we also stifle others’ growth by failing to make a demand on the potential the Father has placed within them. The Contemporary English Version of this text makes the message very clear; it reads: “It's selfish and stupid to think only of yourself and to sneer at people who have sense.”

So what does this mean to you A few things:

1. The Father wants you to be part of His divine community: There are too many people that go to church seeking ONLY to interact with God and MAYBE their Pastor, but they fail to interact with other members of God’s body. How can you say you love God, whom you cannot see, but you fail to connect with man, whom you see every day? (1 John 4:20).

2. You must be humble enough to admit you need others: You don’t know it all – get over it. Swallow your pride long enough to celebrate the diversities of gifts within the Body of Christ, without jealousy. The Father wants you to use the gifts He has given to add value to the divine community you are a part of and He also wants you to tap into the gifts of others. This way the Body of Christ can be healthy and we can function as He intended for us to.

3. Be God-centered, not self-centered: Solomon describes someone who is way too focused on self. Being part of something that is bigger than JUST YOU is a liberating experience. God is too big of a God to just be focused on you alone. He wants to operate and make a difference in your sphere of influence, but He is seeking your cooperation. Put His agenda ahead of your own, partner with Him to make a difference, and you will be overwhelmingly blessed in the process!

Father, I thank You for Your wisdom. Your Wisdom teaches me this morning that I must be part of Your divine community and I declare that I will. I don’t know it all. I thank You for the gifts You have placed in me and I will use these gifts for Your glory. I also thank You for all the other gifts You have placed in the Body of Christ and I will tap into the gifts in others, making a demand on the anointing on their lives, and thereby helping us to function as a body. I add value to every place I step into, because You are on me, in me, with me and for me. I connect with others and I allow them to connect with me. Together we make a difference, for Your glory! In Jesus’ name. Amen!