Do you apply wisdom to avert crisis? (96-2)
In the Bible, the book of Proverbs reads like a manual for dealing with people. It should be on every leaders list of “must read” material every year. I recommend that you pick a month with 31 days and read a chapter a day each day that month. As the Proverbs unfold, among other great advice, leaders will find a recurring theme, they should pray for growth in wisdom, common sense, good judgment, knowledge and understanding. Today our study shows the application of wisdom by a leader that we can all learn from. Read 2 Samuel 20:14-22.
As the people were re-establishing David as king following the defeat of his son’s attempted overthrow of his government, “…a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted, ‘We have no share in David, no part in Jesse’s son! Every man to his tent, O Israel!’ So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bicri” (20:1-2a). David knew a split in the nation between his tribe, Judah, and his predecessor Saul’s tribe of Benjamin would do more harm than the rebellion of his own son so when David returned to the palace in Jerusalem he summoned the commander of the army and sent him after Sheba to put down this revolt with force.
David’s army pursued Sheba and finally trapped him in the city Abel Beth Maacah. They built a siege ramp against the city wall and were bringing in battering rams to break through when a city leader referred to only as “…a wise woman” called out to the troops and got an audience with David’s general. This woman knew that if the city resisted David’s army a lot more people would die than Sheba, in fact the army could make an example of the city so other cities would think twice before harboring revolutionary leaders.
This wise leader gives a perfect example of astute damage control. She saved the city by dealing judiciously and rationally with Joab to discover the reason for the siege. She helped Joab to see the value of the city, to understand their rich history as part of the nation of Israel and requested a chance to deal with Sheba now that they knew all the facts concerning what he had done to anger the king. Having convinced Joab to delay his attack, she persuaded her people to hand Sheba over to Joab and thus averted a disaster.
Is there an area under your leadership that has an impending crisis that needs to be averted – now? Effective wise leaders head off crisis by getting all the facts from the proper sources, arm their team with the right information to make good decisions and then take the necessary actions.
Proverbs 18:13-15 (TLB) says, “What a shame – yes, how stupid! – to decide before knowing the facts. A man’s courage can sustain his broken body, but when courage dies, what hope is left? The intelligent man is always open to new ideas. In fact, he looks for them.”
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