“Let the wise also hear and gain in learning, and the discerning acquire skill, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles.” (Proverbs 1:5-6 NRS)
I was reared in a church environment that rejected “educated” preachers. Their excuse was: “all you need is the Spirit to tell you what to preach.” It cannot be overstated that such reasoning is immature and dangerous to the Body of Christ.
According to this wise Proverb, we are “wise” IF we are willing to “hear and gain in learning.” We are a person of discernment IF we continually strive to “acquire skill.” It goes without saying that this learning and skill comes from the wisdom of the Word of God.
Preachers and pastors who move among God’s people must be men and women that are learning the Word of God and skilled in rightly dividing the Word of Truth. One can not stand before the sacred stand expecting God’s anointing by simply opening the Bible and preaching upon any passage where it falls open. That is an insult to the Holy One who by his Holy Apostle instructed pastors and preachers to ‘do your best before God to be unashamed workmen who correctly interpret the Word of Truth’ (2Tim. 2:15).
The Church requires skilled ministers who can biblically guide us through the multiplied choices of the 21st century society. We need skilled, biblical exegetes that can supply biblically correct answers to life’s questions . . . biblically interpreted solutions to life’s dilemmas. Remember, skill is balanced! Skill in the Word of God – correct interpretation – requires both learning, discerning, and Spirit anointing. If either of these is missing, the skill is deficient.
Hearing, gaining skill, and discerning are all evidences of wisdom. We need wise pastors. In addition, wise biblical interpreters will remember that we are always striving to obtain, while forgetting the failures of the past. We are not experts. We are learners . . . always pressing toward the mark of excellence. There is always room for improvement. Are we willing to learn?
Dear Father, thank you for the wisdom of your Word. Empower us with the hearing and discerning skills that we may acquire the required skill to correctly preach your Truth. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in the wisdom of God’s truth,