Proverbs 24:5
"A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increases power"
The wise man cannot be tipped over through temptation or through greed. He is strong because his focus is upon helping those around him to win.
The person who is temptable is weak. He can be easily knocked over. The person who can deny his own interests in the interest of God's glory and other’s blessings is indeed a strong person.
and a man of knowledge increases power
If one adds to this ability to deny self and look for the best for others and God – this ability that the proverb calls knowledge – then the level of personal power for the individual goes up incredibly. The idea of knowledge is information and skills. This is an additive verse. Start with the base of wisdom and then add to it a person of information and skill and one has an unbeatable combination.
Can you deny yourself long enough to pursue a better choice – one in which more people win?
Are you working on more information that you don't currently have? Are you developing your skills to a higher level so that you are a more valuable person?
The man of knowledge is always looking for more power – ways of exercising leverage in various ways: physical power, emotional power, spiritual power, mental power, leadership power, organizational power. These are just a few of the different ways that power may be increased. Are you growing in these ways and in the use of these different kinds of power?
Many times we want to stop trying to grow once we become adults. This is tragic. There is no age limit on this proverb. Knowledgeable people keep looking for ways to bring more impact.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz