This article on Leadership is going to be straight forward, biting, and directly to the point. It is not intended to purposely harm any reader or listener, BUT…it is designed to tell the absolute God’s Truth about gaining personal knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Sadly, most of us think we are fairly wise and knowledgeable,…we think we know and understand what and how to do our chosen work, and a majority of those who have gained a certain expressed level of success think they know exactly what needs to be done,…so why do they need to continue to work and grow mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually?
A person must first grow oneself…in order to really know oneself. I will be so bold as to tell you that failure to grow and improve your present level of knowledge and understanding provides a sure-fire way for you to fail in what you are doing or trying to do. Prolonged failure to grow oneself will eventually lead a wanna-be-leader or an existing leader to self-destruction. If you, for any reason, disagree with what I have just told you,…then you do not know history very well.
As is always the correct way to know what to properly do, all one needs to do is to go to the Word of God and see what He has to say on any given subject. Now if you say that you truly believe in God, then it follows that you have to also believe in His Word…“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1 : 1 ESV). There are basically two kinds of manners and ways to gain and possess knowledge, understanding, and wisdom in this world today: (1) God’s ways or (2) Man’s ways. One of the major reasons people suffer so much persecution, pain, and loss today is because they don’t have any clue as to what they should be properly doing in any given effort they are undertaking. They have never learned or heard the truth of God and therefore by default apply only what they know which is Man’s Ways. The right way to do things on this earth is God’s Way,…not Man’s.
Now that statement presupposes that you believe in God and in His Word, and that you are willing to grow and increase your knowledge and understanding of life and human nature. It is not all that difficult to gain such knowledge and understanding, but it will require that you put forth a significant amount of time, energy, and effort to gain it.
Permit me to share with you what the Book of Proverbs, i.e. the Book of Wisdom is all about.
Practical wisdom for living is the central concern of the Book of Proverbs. We are told therein that the beginning and essence of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. (1:7, 9:10). Proverbs often contrasts the benefits of seeking wisdom and the pitfalls of living a fool’s life. While the wicked stumble in “deep darkness” (4:19), “the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” (v. 18). Proverbs is a collection of Israelite wisdom literature, including an introductory section (Chapters 1–9) that gives readers a framework for understanding the rest of the book. The book includes the work of various authors, but much of it is attributed to King Solomon. It dates from between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C.
Hear the Word of God. It reads in the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 1, verses 1–7 ESV:
The Beginning of Knowledge
(1) “The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
(2) To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of
insight,
(3) to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness,
justice, and equity;
(4) to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to
the youth–
(5) Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who
understands obtain guidance,
(6) to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise
and their riddles.
(7) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Now I will say to you that God wants you to be wise, healthy, and prosperous, After all, it was He who created you for His own good pleasure. But He also gave you a free will of choice so that it is up to you as to whether you want to become a wise man or remain a fool.
One of the single most dangerous places on earth to be is to achieve great position or possession and then stop learning and growing within your own mind. As a matter of fact, I will tell you a great Truth of Life. The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: be satisfied with your opinions and be content with your knowledge.
Now God Almighty says the same thing in a different manner in the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 26, verse 12 NASB:
(12) “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more
hope for a fool than for him.”
Allow me to tell you that you should never be satisfied with your own level of knowledge, understanding and wisdom, i.e. your own level of understanding, knowledge, and intellect. You should always be in a growth mode,…in an upward mobile position causing yourself to know more, do more and become more each and every day of your life. That my
friends is going to require an all out effort on your part.
Your personal thoughts, words, actions, and efforts will always quickly identify, to any discerning person, who you really are and what you are really doing with the use of your life.
People will only follow another person who knows where they are going and who is growing and becoming more in their personal life.
A story please…
Napoleon Bonaparte was indeed a great leader of men. However being in a leadership role or position doesn’t necessarily make a person a great leader. Performance which can only come from personal growth is what makes the really big differences in a person’s life.
Napoleon was a genius in sparking patriotism in the common man. He often told this story:
Once while visiting a French province the great commander came upon an old soldier in full uniform but with one sleeve hanging empty. The soldier proudly wore the coveted Legion of Honor military recognition medal. Napoleon asked, “Where did you lose your arm?” The soldier answered, “At Austerlitz, sire.”
Napoleon asked, “And for that you received the Legion of Honor?” The man said, “Yes, sire. It is but a small token to pay for the decoration.” Napoleon continued, “You must be the kind of man who regrets he did not lose both arms for his country.”
The one-armed man asked, “What then would have been my reward?” Napoleon answered, “I would have awarded you a double Legion of Honor.”
And with that, the proud old fighter drew his sword and immediately cut off his other arm.
Napoleon told and retold this story for many years before someone finally asked him,…“How?”
It is not wrong to question what you think you know.
Sometimes it’s wrong not to.
Leaders Gotta Lead………………