Hi everyone.
Special shoutout to The Proverbs Challenge Mastermind crew – a.k.a #WisdomCrew. The last 23 days with you guys have been fiery! No plenty story today, let’s get right into it.
As I read this chapter, there were many lightbulb moments, but I would like us to zone in on just 4 verses in this conversation.
Verse 3: “Wise people are builders – they build families, businesses, communities. And through intelligence and insight their enterprises are established and endure. (MSG)
I read this and thought, how have I not seen this verse before? As I checked other versions, I realized I had. In the Amplified version, it reads, “Through [skillful and godly] wisdom a house [a life, a home, a family] is built, and by understanding it is established [on a sound and good foundation]”.
It looks more familiar now right? There you go! From this verse, we can agree that wisdom is a fundamental building block for life. Whether you’re a newlywed or veteran building your family, an entrepreneur building your start-up, a change agent implementing a social impact project, a mid-level executive building your career, etc. – wisdom is your plug! This is why Proverbs 4:7 says,” Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.”
But catch this cruise, wisdom isn’t just essential in building, nope, it’s deeper than that! It comes along with its brothers – intelligence, understanding, discernment and insight to ensure that your life is established (i.e., installed, settled on a stable basis) and that it endures (i.e., holds out, continues to last, and sustained). Ah! How can you not want this? This is the assurance of wisdom. Get it oh!
Lord Jesus, baptize me with your wisdom. Help me to seat at your feet and feast on your Word. Help me promptly take correction. Let my ears hear your words and let my heart retain counsel. Let my lips speak your words and let the meditations of my heart glorify you. Amen.
Verses 4 & 5: Because of their skilled leadership, the hearts of people are filled with the treasures of wisdom and the pleasures of spiritual wealth. Wisdom can make anyone into a mighty warrior, and revelation-knowledge increases strength.
Yo! See this verse now! This means that when you have wisdom, you become skilled for leadership – like you have a divine MBA from Heavenly Harvard!
*Bursts out in tongues!*
You become a skilled leader, and you cause transformation in the lives of people you engage with. I’m not overreaching, believe me. Let me show you.
1 Samuel 22:2 reads, “All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him”. David was a commander of deeply troubled people; but by 2 Samuel 23:8-39, The Bible records, “These are the names of David’s mighty warriors.” Something must have happened! Their story had changed!
The men who were once in distress, debt, and discontented, plus their commander, David had been transformed by wisdom. David had fought battles hinged upon the revelation knowledge of God (see 1 Samuel 30) and had been transformed inside out. His strength and that of his men had reached 1,000 megajoules. Energy everywhere! You cannot even tell me you don’t want this kind of transformation! This is exponential catalysis and growth!
Verse 6: Wise strategy is necessary to wage war, and with many astute advisers you’ll see the path to victory more clearly.”
Guys, not only does wisdom help you build, establish, make you endure, and transform you from the inside – it gives you a roadmap to victory.
Wisdom gives you strategy (blueprint, roadmap, plan of action) to achieve a long-term aim or outcome. It is not short-lived, haphazard, shoddy and concocted on the go; it doesn’t ‘rough it’ – nah! It is superior, strategic, focused, result producing and long-term. So much so, that when you need to wage war, you are assured of victory like how David finished Goliath with common catapult and stone. Yes, it may not make sense to the world, but that’s fine. It is not of this world; so how can world people understand it; it is DIVINE; and the proof of its authenticity is in the quality of results delivered.
Then, this same wisdom further has the capacity to connect you to astute advisors – men and women of deep insight who also help you see a pathway to victory, and even handhold you to execute par excellence. (Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 15:22)
Let me end by saying this. Wisdom gives you staying power! Verse 10 reads, “If you faint when under pressure, you have need of courage”. Wisdom gives you courage, tenacity and grit; and where necessary, alternative strategies to get out of tricky situations. But faint, you will not because you are backed up.
Wisdom is Jesus! Get Him!
