Why are some people successful and others not? Why do some work hard and get rewarded and others work just as hard and gain little or nothing? In business, why is Apple so successful and other technology companies aren’t? Or, why is Starbucks coffee such a successful company and so many others fail? The answer is that they made their clients the focus of their business, they did not make themselves or the bottom line the focus of their business. Apple pre-decided that the design and operation of their computers would not be based on the industry standards but rather on creating a computer that was simple and easy for anyone to use. Starbucks prioritized creating an environment in which people can gather and or get some work done as more important than the product itself.
BIBLE READING:
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. – Proverbs 11:22 NIV
Imagine for a moment that you are going start a business, family or any endeavor of importance to you, would you want it to be a failed, good, or a great venture? If like me your answer is, I want it to be great. Then you’ll need more than knowledge and hard work, you’ll also need to have wisdom. Knowledge and commitment are necessary but without wisdom the best you can hope for is a good venture because great ventures require wisdom. The problem is that intelligence does not equal wisdom because wisdom is the ability to utilize knowledge intelligently. It’s the intelligent leaders that authorize war and it takes a large degree of knowledge to create weapons of mass destruction. Again, very intelligent people but not very wise decisions. Maybe that’s the reason why Jim Collins author of the best-selling book titled “From Good to Great” wrote, “the difference between good leaders and great ones is humility”.
THINK ABOUT IT:
When it comes to success your Heavenly Father doesn’t only want you to be or do good he wants you to be or do great. But to achieve great success you’re going to need more than knowledge and a commitment to hard work, you’re going to need wisdom. And nothing can cloud a persons’ intelligence more than arrogance, maybe that is why wisdom is found in the actions that come from humility, the actions that consider others above self.
PRAY
Dear God, I need wisdom. You have bestowed upon me a degree of intelligence, but I need your wisdom to use it the right way. I need your wisdom and I need you to put in me a new heart, one that is not arrogant; I need a heart that is humble. I present to you the work of my hands, my plans, my endeavors, and my calling, I pray that you would bless it all but above all else, that in me you would find a humble heart. Cause me to be the kind of leader that can influence others and lead them to Jesus and a personal relationship with him. Thank you Heavenly Father for hearing my prayer, in Jesus’ name I pray, amen.