Kingdom Wisdom’s 7 Pillars – #4
In Proverbs 9:1 we read, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars” (NIV 1984). What are the seven pillars found in the house of wisdom?
We find them listed for us in the previous chapter in Proverbs 8:12,14 (NIV 1984): I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion… Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power. And note how verses 15 and 16 connect wisdom to leadership.
Leaders are often looked to for advice. It is a wonderful privilege to truly help another by pointing them to the Lord and His Word as we give godly counsel. There is also a trap to avoid.
Our inflated egos often drive us to offer our own thoughts and commentary instead of His thoughts. Rather than referring others to God’s Word for the best counsel, we share our own experiences and insights without referencing the Bible. Our experiences can be used to illustrate wisdom from His Word; in fact, this real-life application builds authenticity when counseling another. But it should never substitute for God’s thoughts as recorded in Scripture.
Giving wise counsel is an art to develop. It involves listening well, asking questions for insight and discernment, trusting God for solutions to difficult problems, and walking by faith after reaching decisions. Those who mentor others must be excellent counselors — not in the clinical sense of counseling the hurting or broken but in the sense of guiding another person’s growth and development. Those who possess wisdom are often (though not always) recognized by others and thus sought after for advice.
Leaders are frequently asked to solve problems that are too difficult for another person to solve. They are frequently asked for help because they have authority to make the exception or decide between two pathways of equal validity. Counsel that will truly resolve an issue or at least move forward toward its resolution must be rooted in wisdom from above.
Not every issue is necessarily a biblical one. For example, should we open a new ministry initiative in this city or that? What makes one a better, wiser choice than another? Our strategy would have a lot to say about which city we choose. The Bible helps inform and shape our strategy and the process by which we arrive at a strategic decision, not necessarily the decision itself. But, when choosing members of a ministry-leadership team, we’d want to have some clear criteria, especially in moral behavior, because of the influence and tone they would set in the ministry. Here, the Bible clearly has a lot to say about qualifications for leadership.
Are the Scriptures informing and shaping your leadership counsel?
For more thoughts on leading with Kingdom wisdom: Growing Kingdom Wisdom
Developing Kingdom Leaders - Tom Yeakley 