Open Heavens Devotional by Pastor E.A. Adeboye
MEMORIZE: “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:6).
READ: Genesis 41:33-38
Another way of identifying a wise fellow is by the counsel he gives. You cannot give what you don’t have. It takes somebody with some level of wisdom to give wise counsels. In Genesis 41:33-41, Joseph not only interpreted Pharaoh’s disturbing dreams, but also gave advice on how to solve the problem. His solution package exposed the level of wisdom that he had within. If you are a wise person, you will not only see a problem, but also propose a way out. People easily see a problem, difficulty or challenge but not many people can see the solution. If you are a wise fellow, you will always give rest to your superiors because when they are seeking a solution to the problem, you have the solution. What kind of advice do you give to your counselees? If your advice is bereft of wisdom, it shows that you are not wise. If your advice to people is what is driving them away from local assembly, it may be that you lack wisdom. Some pastors or prophets receive revelations about members of their churches but hardly exercise wisdom in relaying such messages. The way a message is delivered to its recipient affects the way it will be received. If your presentation puts more fear into the receiver, or turns the fellow from doing what God wants done, it is because you lack wisdom.
If you are wise, only words that edify your fellow men and words that glorify God would emanate from you. Hence, Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”. This tells us clearly that in order to get your desired response from people, first study them before knowing how best to reply each person. Answering everyone the same way will definitely not deliver you your expected response. In 2 Samuel 16:23, we read of one man who was one of the wisest counsellors of his day—Ahithophel. All over the land, his counsel was reputed for wisdom. Anyone who met him for counsel was bound to be shown the way out of the woods. His counsel was so good that it was compared with hearing from God. This means that, if you are so full of wisdom, the counsel that emanates from you will be in consonance with God’s word and will. Are you a leader? What kind of counsel do you give to those under you?
PRAYER POINT:
Ask that the Lord will give the Spirit of counsel to leaders in your local assembly.
Bible in One year: Heb. 5-7
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