Leadership: Against the Odds & The First Principle of Wisdom
14 Oct 2007
You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you. ~ Leviticus 26:7-8
Without a challenge, many people tend to fall or fade away. Charles Noble observed, “You must have a long-range vision to keep you from being frustrated by short-range failures.” Vision helps people with motivation. That can be especially important for highly talented people. They sometimes fight lack of desire. That’s why a great artist like Michelangelo prayed, “Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish.” A visionary compass answers that prayer.
Someone said that only people who can see the invisible can do the impossible. That shows the value of vision. But it also indicates that vision can be an elusive quality. If you can see vision for your team, then your team has a reasonably good chance at success. Vision gives team members direction and confidence, two things they cannot do without.
The First Principle of Wisdom
The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you.” And Solomon said . . . “Give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.”
1 Kings 3:5-6, 9
Near the beginning of Solomon’s reign, God approached the young king with a proposal: Ask Me for anything you want. Much to God’s delight, Solomon didn’t ask for great riches, respect among world leaders, or an invincible nation. Solomon asked for wisdom, and God answered abundantly.
The Bible tells us that the Lord gave the king “wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore,” and that his wisdom exceeded that of any other man. Solomon’s expansive mind explored the disciplines of botany, zoology, and music, and pondered topics ranging from economics to communication to love. The wisdom of King Solomon helped Israel to prosper greatly. Solomon himself amassed wealth greater than all the kings of his time.
But by the end of his reign, this brilliant king somehow forgot the first principle of wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psalm 111:10). Only wisdom energized by a vibrant walk with God makes godly leaders.
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