If there is a commodity missing among today's political leaders it seems to be wisdom. As I pen these lines another political leader is caught in a scandal involving poor judgment at best if not outright lewd behavior. The phrase, "What was he thinking?" comes immediately to mind. I imagine things are going to get a lot worse for him in coming days, and rightly so.
With scandal after scandal happening, many sexual, among today's political and world influential leaders, it shows an enormous deficit of wisdom. Otherwise intelligent people just making unwise, immoral, decisions in their lives should give us all cause to worry about the direction of our world. Sometimes it seems like the inmates are running the asylum. World banking and monetary leaders, presidential candidates, prime ministers, members of congress all demonstrating a lack of practical wisdom paints the picture of a world run amok.
When young Solomon took the throne from his father, David, he knew that he was green as a gourd. The enormity of the task of ruling the most powerful nation on earth at the time no doubt overwhelmed him. In 1 Kings 3, Solomon knew that job was bigger than he was and so he turned to God as his father had done. God rewarded Solomon by offering him anything he wished. Solomon chose wisdom or understanding in governing his people. God granted him his wish and gave him the bonus of riches and long life.
Wow, that's refreshing, a leader who wanted wisdom above everything else. You mean you can rule/lead without pollsters, marketing, image consultants and PR teams? Unheard of! No one can get elected, appointed, etc. these days asking for wisdom can they? Did I mention, lost commodity?
But to be honest, is there a really a cry for wise leaders among us? Is wisdom something that we hold up as a desirable value these days? Have we just fallen into the trap of just listening for what our itching ears want to hear? We blame our politicians and banking CEO's for the economic mess we're in as a country. But isn't it true that our own lack of wisdom has led to the housing and banking meltdown? We have lusted after things so much we have failed to exercise practical financial wisdom. Outgo cannot exceed income. The numbers will eventually catch up to us. You spend more than you make and eventually things will come to a screeching halt. Doesn't work for us individually, it's not going to work for us as a country.
Our poor execution of wisdom effects every aspect of daily and personal life. Don't exercise wisdom and you will eventually have to pay the price. It's true in our relationships, family life, business life, and personal life. Too often our own selfish desires and impulsiveness and sense of entitlement override our wisdom meter and we find ourselves digging out of a mess of our own creation.
I am sure that if I was in Solomon's shoes I would have asked for wisdom too. There was a lot pressure following a dad who was known as the greatest king of all time. Those were mighty big shoes to fill, especially when you never faced off against a giant with only a sling let alone conquer your neighboring enemy nations in routing victories. But as I look at my own life, I have to say there's a lot out there to handle. I'm not sure that I'm bright enough to deal with all the stuff I've got to deal with. I may not be making decisions that will determine the direction of a country or effect world trends, but I sure need God's wisdom in my day to day life. Perhaps the wisest thing that I could do would be to do the very thing that Solomon did at the beginning of his reign and that is to pursue God and ask for His wisdom as I begin each day.
God, I confess that I'm not that bright. I don't have all understanding or all knowledge or all anything. I need your wisdom in my life. I need your wisdom as a husband and father and even son. I need your wisdom in my finances. I need your wisdom in my personal life. I need your wisdom as a pastor and as a friend. I need you wisdom in the simple day to day things of life. Lord, I'm asking for your wisdom today.
With scandal after scandal happening, many sexual, among today's political and world influential leaders, it shows an enormous deficit of wisdom. Otherwise intelligent people just making unwise, immoral, decisions in their lives should give us all cause to worry about the direction of our world. Sometimes it seems like the inmates are running the asylum. World banking and monetary leaders, presidential candidates, prime ministers, members of congress all demonstrating a lack of practical wisdom paints the picture of a world run amok.
When young Solomon took the throne from his father, David, he knew that he was green as a gourd. The enormity of the task of ruling the most powerful nation on earth at the time no doubt overwhelmed him. In 1 Kings 3, Solomon knew that job was bigger than he was and so he turned to God as his father had done. God rewarded Solomon by offering him anything he wished. Solomon chose wisdom or understanding in governing his people. God granted him his wish and gave him the bonus of riches and long life.
Wow, that's refreshing, a leader who wanted wisdom above everything else. You mean you can rule/lead without pollsters, marketing, image consultants and PR teams? Unheard of! No one can get elected, appointed, etc. these days asking for wisdom can they? Did I mention, lost commodity?
But to be honest, is there a really a cry for wise leaders among us? Is wisdom something that we hold up as a desirable value these days? Have we just fallen into the trap of just listening for what our itching ears want to hear? We blame our politicians and banking CEO's for the economic mess we're in as a country. But isn't it true that our own lack of wisdom has led to the housing and banking meltdown? We have lusted after things so much we have failed to exercise practical financial wisdom. Outgo cannot exceed income. The numbers will eventually catch up to us. You spend more than you make and eventually things will come to a screeching halt. Doesn't work for us individually, it's not going to work for us as a country.
Our poor execution of wisdom effects every aspect of daily and personal life. Don't exercise wisdom and you will eventually have to pay the price. It's true in our relationships, family life, business life, and personal life. Too often our own selfish desires and impulsiveness and sense of entitlement override our wisdom meter and we find ourselves digging out of a mess of our own creation.
I am sure that if I was in Solomon's shoes I would have asked for wisdom too. There was a lot pressure following a dad who was known as the greatest king of all time. Those were mighty big shoes to fill, especially when you never faced off against a giant with only a sling let alone conquer your neighboring enemy nations in routing victories. But as I look at my own life, I have to say there's a lot out there to handle. I'm not sure that I'm bright enough to deal with all the stuff I've got to deal with. I may not be making decisions that will determine the direction of a country or effect world trends, but I sure need God's wisdom in my day to day life. Perhaps the wisest thing that I could do would be to do the very thing that Solomon did at the beginning of his reign and that is to pursue God and ask for His wisdom as I begin each day.
God, I confess that I'm not that bright. I don't have all understanding or all knowledge or all anything. I need your wisdom in my life. I need your wisdom as a husband and father and even son. I need your wisdom in my finances. I need your wisdom in my personal life. I need your wisdom as a pastor and as a friend. I need you wisdom in the simple day to day things of life. Lord, I'm asking for your wisdom today.
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