On 9-25-11 Proverbs 25:1-10 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Wisdom and Discernment or Wisdom and Government. You will find the 9-18-11 lesson directly beneath this message and on the lower right side.
Jed
Wisdom and Discernment
Or
Wisdom and Government
Proverbs 25:1-10
International Sunday School Lesson
September 25, 2011
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
Leadership, government, they are so threaded into the fabric of the world we live in today. In the past there have been times where in parts of the world people could live independently never knowing in some cases who their supposed leaders were. Believe it or not there are still places like that where people don’t know and don’t care. Their daily lives fill them with all the cares and needs that consume their waking and dreaming moments.
Most of us though do know due to the ever growing level of governmental involvement as it pervades our lives and affects our incomes, our grocery choices, our medical visits, even where and how we finish out our lives. What is stunning though is how lightly we who can take part in choosing our leaders take that responsibility.
When I read the second verse from today I naturally think about the king mentioned as one of ultimate authority, someone like a President or a King David. God who knows all and has created all knows where the oil lies beneath the ground or the aquifer flows waiting to be tapped but the “king” who longs to improve his lands and tap its resources searches diligently to make the most of what he has been given.
But wouldn’t it be better yet if our kings at all levels were kings like David, a man after God’s own heart, who would hunger and thirst for God. This is a king who would search out the matters of God. Do we have many of these left in our world?
And what about us who live in the world today who actually can have a choice, an impact on who leads? Are we not in a sense king makers? It is a bizarre world where so many now have this right but so few exercise that privilege.
Verse 3 says that just as the heavens and the depths are unsearchable so are the minds of kings. As the scriptures say (Acts 15:8 & 1 Cor 2:11) no one knows what’s in a man’s heart but God. So what are you basing your choices on? In today’s world discernment is just as important for the king makers as the kings.
Leadership from home or church, from committees or work places, to the highest places of power in our government without wisdom and discernment is meaningless and will only lead to downfall.
When leadership does not lead in a righteous manner then wickedness will result in the people that are being led. Remove the wickedness and righteousness we are told in verse 5 for today will follow.
Fittingly we see King Hezekiah mentioned in verse 1. He was unlike most of his recent forefathers. When we look into his history we see it said in 2 Kings 18 that among all the kings of Judah there were none like him before or after.
Unlike many that had preceded him and unlike even his own son, Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and most importantly for a leader, showed wisdom by trusting God. What resulted from that was how he governed.
Hezekiah tore down the high places. He destroyed alters to false gods. Hezekiah destroyed the bronze snake which had been a symbol but had turned into idolatry. He turned back to the commands as given by Moses and, as we see from today’s scripture, promoted the word of God.
Hezekiah is a perfect example from God’s word of how we or our leaders can establish our positions of leadership. If we like Hezekiah tear down the high places, restore the commitment to God’s word then we can accomplish for those we lead just as he did.
We need leaders, who like Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 30, pray effectively for their people. We need leaders who like Hezekiah encourage the religious leaders who fulfilled their roles well. And we need leaders who like Hezekiah demonstrated through his contributions the high place he held worship to the Lord.
Pray for your leaders. If given the opportunity choose your leaders with discernment.
For Discussion:
1. Within your church, are your leaders prepared? Do they study and search out the matter?
2. Are your leaders demonstrating dignity or do they air all their laundry for everyone to see?
3. Are those within your churches leadership (at all levels) refined or were they not ready for the positions they now hold?
4. Do the impure need to be removed so that righteousness will be revealed?
5. Who receives the glory where you worship? Is there talk of growth, numbers, successes, prayers only for the church and its congregants or is the glory given to the Father?
6. Is there bickering and pettiness or do you put your brothers’ and sisters’ position before yours?
7. Even Hezekiah became puffed up with pride but he repented. We all make mistakes but sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we aren’t all that and we need to start anew.
8. Please save this blog in your favorites so you can come back again and again!
Upcoming Sunday School Lessons
10-2-11: An Ordered Life (Wisdom in Practice), Proverbs 29:16-27
10-9-11: The Superiority of Wisdom (Wisdom is Better than Might), Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 or 9:13-10:4
10-16-11: Wisdom for Aging (Remember Your Creator), Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:7, 13
10-23-11: Tradition and Love (How Sweet is Love), Song of Solomon 4:8-5:1a
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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