More on Solomon - Leadership Guru - Proverbs 1:1 Part 2

In Proverbs 1:1, the greatest collection of practical wisdom the world has ever seen is attributed to a man who never advertised, promoted himself, or had a fee schedule. Yet, recognized leaders sought out his counsel, traveled long distances to meet him, and payed him handsomely for his advice.

To what might Solomon attribute the attraction?

First, one cannot discount natural gifts. God had gifted him early in life with leadership abilities. He had a natural affinity for wisdom that deepened his desire to grow in this area of his life and request a wise heart as his first and primary gift from God. He played to his strengths, but his strengths were in place from the beginning.

None of us can change our basic aptitudes, but we develop them with differing levels of commitment and skill.

Solomon was committed to developing his abilities and he started the process by asking God to give him a discerning heart.

The he put feet on his prayers and began to collect all the positive truth, sayings, and life lessons he could. He collected them and practiced them.  The Bible does not say that Solomon wrote all the Proverbs, just that they were his. There were his in that he wrote some, collected many, applied all, and thought deeply about them, memorizing and teaching them to others.

We are all given a certain capacity for wisdom and leadership. How we develop that capacity has a lot to do with seeking it as Solomon exemplified in his prayer request, collecting it by reading and listening, and applying it in our every day lives.

As used in Proverbs, wisdom is defined as practical choices that are moral, pragmatic., and centered in lasting values.

If you want to get paid for what you know, learn some lessons from Solomon.