Wisdom and Government

Jul 14, 2016 by

from Christian Concern:

Dr Joe Boot explores the dramatically different outcomes of wisdom and folly in the lives of individuals and governments. He highlights the biblical accounts of the lives of Solomon and Nabal as examples, respectively, of wisdom and folly. As Christians, Joe says, we are gifted with godly wisdom and we are called to engage with culture. He concludes by stating that “working with government and rulers is our act of worship, the end of which is the glory of God.”

[…]  Until relatively recently, two of the characteristics that would have been looked for and prioritised when selecting religious, political and legislative leaders in the Western world were wisdom and virtue. Because of the deep influence of Christianity in the Anglosphere, both competency and character mattered as qualifications for leadership. This was because, for the most part, the peoples of the Anglosphere themselves considered wisdom and virtue to be noble aims and core goals in the character development of the young through family life and education. The word ‘virtue’ comes from a Latin word and originally meant strength, courage and moral excellence. The words in the biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek translated as ‘virtue’ essentially mean moral strength, a prudent use of one’s abilities and a general competency.

Wisdom is a related and central concern of the Bible. Wisdom (Gr. sophia), in biblical terms, is not simply the accumulation of information. Rather, it encompasses the practical knowledge of how to regulate one’s relationship with God, prudence in dealing with others, judiciousness in the handling of circumstances and skill or expertise in the application of knowledge to the diverse areas of life. Wisdom is such an important theme in Scripture that in the book of Proverbs the very voice of God is personified as wisdom, and Christ himself, in Paul’s letters, is described as the one in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3). We are told in the scriptures that wisdom is a blessing (Prov. 3:13), the foundation of a good life (Prov. 24:3) and so the principal thing to seek, prize and treasure (Prov. 4:7). In the New Testament, the apostle James reveals the importance of Christians praying for this wisdom and God’s willingness to supply it to those who ask him: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (Jas. 1:5).

Related Posts

Tags

Share This