“A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.” Proverbs 1:5
King Solomon was the wisest person to ever live, being gifted by God with an incredible mind that sought wisdom and understanding. Yet Solomon, in all of his wisdom, realized he needed to surround himself with people who could feed his intelligence and wisdom.
Solomon, in all of his wisdom, realized he needed to surround himself with people who could feed his intelligence and wisdom. Click To TweetHis words speak to our reality that “we never arrive,” and the journey of life reflects the ongoing connection between learning and growing. Solomon’s choice to seek and engage intelligent people showcased his wisdom and perspective. With perspective, we welcome our need for continued growth and exploration despite age, intelligence, status, or wisdom.
Think of it this way.
“Two heads are better than one.” Have you ever thought about what that really means? Let me rephrase it this way: Collaboration creates an opportunity for greatness.
Collaboration creates an opportunity for greatness. Click To TweetThe president has a cabinet of advisors and the head football coach has a team of specialty coaches. Even doctors have other doctors they consult on a regular basis.
You may not be the president or a head football coach, but you are the CEO of your life. Manage it well.
You may not be the president or a head football coach, but you are the CEO of your life. Manage it well! Click To TweetThe Road to Foolishness
While you would probably never say…
- I don’t want to grow.
- I don’t want to learn.
- I don’t want to better myself.
- I want to live stuck.
…we end up living that way when we stop seeking wise counsel. We may become a know-it-all. We stop asking for help and pretend like we have it all together. We can even make others feel small by showing them how big we are and how much we know.
When we live in the above mindset, we head in a direction that leads to foolishness.
Surrounded by Wisdom.
When we truly desire…
- to grow
- to learn
- to better ourselves
- to know and understand God’s will for our life
…then we must place ourselves around people who are wiser and smarter than us.
Matt Chandler said, “It’s a good thing to be around people who are more spiritual than you are.”
I’m thankful for the people in my life who are wiser than me, and willing to invest in my life.
If you need some wise, godly counsel in your life, here are five basic ways you can surround yourself with wisdom.
- Open God’s Word. The first place each of us should start when seeking wisdom is God’s Word. Godly men, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote down their experiences and letters so that we can grow in our faith.
- Read a book. Someone has spent hours of time researching and putting together content in book form. Reading grows your mind.
- Be in church. When you’re at church, you never know how God will use something the pastor says, the worship leader says, or something the stranger by the coffee pot says that will challenge you. But if you aren’t there, you’ll miss it 100% of the time.
- Join a small group. Talking about God’s Word among other believers gives you a different perspective.
- Ask questions. Don’t ever be afraid to ask someone you look up to, “Can I have an hour of your time?” People are willing to help when presented with the opportunity, but you must make the initiative.
Will you surround yourself with wisdom?