Business Small Group Meeting

Business and Wisdom

What is a Business small group?

- We will be talking about the intersection of Business with Christian faith

- We will consider how biblical Wisdom can inform the practice of Business
- We will engage in conversation together
- We will have snacks

Wisdom - what is it?

Knowledge from experience

Knowledge applied with maturity
Ability to identify what is good or bad

Accordimg to Dictionary –
Wisdom is the quality of experience knowledge and good judgement.

Where can wisdom be found?

PRACTICAL WISDOM - Wisdom that comes from our world instruction, counsel, and
experience

DIVINE WISDOM - Wisdom that comes from God as revealed to us in his word (le,
Scripture... the Bible)
A word about wisdom in the Bible: Solomon (1 Kings 3:5-14)

5. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask
what I shall give you."

6. And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David
my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in
uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast
love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7. And now, O LORD my
God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but
a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8. And your servant is in the
midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be
numbered or counted for multitude. 9. "Give your servant therefore an
understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and
evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?

10. It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. 11. And God said to him,
"Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or
the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is
right, 12. "behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and
discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall
arise after you. 13. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honar, so
that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14. And if you will walk in
my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked,
then I will lengthen your days."

The result of Solomon's request was astounding - God's gift of wisdom enabled
Solomon:

- To bring unity and prosperity to the nation of Israel

- To create wealth through international trade
- To pursue knowledge and speak authoritatively on many topics (kings sent
ambassadors to listen to his wisdom)
- To compose some 3,000 proverbs (1 Kings 4:32)
 The influence of wisdom resulted in a repository of Wisdom Literature:

- Proverbs
- Ecclesiastes
- Job
- Song of Solomon
- Parts of the Psalms

BUT WAIT! Part of the Proverbs seems to resemble the literature of other cultures...
was Solomon really that special?

It's true - the biblical book of Proverbs captures the poetic traditions of a broader
body of wisdom literature from:

- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Mesopotamia
- Babylonian Kingdoms
- Neo-Sumerian Traditions

Is this a bad thing? Shouldn't Christians avoid "worldly" wisdom in business?

Concept: The Integration of Faith and Business

- All truth is God's truth.

- God's truth is revealed to us via his word (the Bible - special revelation) and his
world (creation - general revelation).
- Proverbs, then, regardless of their source present truths that help us to
understand reality (in our case, business reality).
Proverbs: The Purpose of the Book

'The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth-
5.Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain
guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and
instruction.

So, what should we expect if we pursue God's wisdom?

PRACTICAL WISDOM - Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge that comes from
our world instruction, counsel, and experience

DIVINE WISDOM - Wisdom that comes from God, understanding (revelation), and
knowledge resulting from the fear (respect) of the Lord.

These three concepts, practical or divine, are central to the biblical books of wisdom.
Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom

KNOWLEDGE - Facts and information acquired through instruction.

UNDERSTANDING - The ability to process knowledge and find meaning and
application.
WISDOM - The ability to decide or discern the best course of action-it builds on
understanding and knowledge, leading to right action.
 My Example of Video Editing -

1. Knowledge: Knowledge in video editing involves understanding the technical

aspects and tools used in the craft. This includes knowing how to operate
editing software, understanding video formats, resolutions, and the basics of
cutting, trimming, and merging clips. It's like knowing the alphabet and words
in a language.
2. Understanding: Understanding goes beyond knowledge. It means grasping the
principles of storytelling, composition, and pacing. It's about comprehending
the emotional impact of different editing techniques and being able to analyze
a video project to decide how to best convey the intended message or story.
It's like understanding the grammar and structure of a language to construct
meaningful sentences.
3. Wisdom: Wisdom is the highest level of expertise. In video editing, wisdom
means making informed creative decisions. It involves knowing when to break
the rules for artistic purposes, anticipating audience reactions, and having a
deep sense of what works and what doesn't. It's about using your experience
and intuition to elevate a video project beyond the technical and into the
realm of artistry. It's like being a skilled writer who can craft a compelling novel
that resonates with readers on a profound level.
Our Goal...

By integrating contemporary business research with biblical wisdom, the best

practices for a wise and righteous business leader can be discovered... wisdom
is the desired result.