Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
Proverbs 11:14
There’s a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge.” Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one. He led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, “What do you want?” “Knowledge, O wise Socrates,” said the young man with a smile. Socrates put his strong hands on the man’s shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up. “What do you want?” he asked again. “Wisdom,” the young man sputtered, “O great and wise Socrates.” Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. “What do you want, young man?” Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed, “Knowledge, O wise and wonderful...” Socrates jammed him under again Forty seconds passed. Fifty. “What do you want?” “Air!” he screeched. “I need air!” “When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge.”1
We’re all looking for knowledge and wisdom in today’s world. Socrates was making a great point with this young man: You need wisdom just as much as you need air to breathe. But, wisdom and knowledge are not attained by one’s private pursuit of it. Proverbs 11:14 gives a different picture: “Where there is no guidance, a people falls,
but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
What Is Guidance?
In this proverb it becomes clear that if we want wisdom then we need guidance. What is guidance? The Hebrew word for “guidance” is a word that is related to the word for “rope”. It is possibly also related to the idea of steering a ship. Charles Bridges (1794-1869) combines the two into a great picture to show what having no guidance would look like. “The nation, therefore, without counselors is like a ship in the midst of the rocks without a pilot—in imminent peril.”2 In other words, the epitome of foolishness is when we think we are wise and don’t need others’ guidance.
To be sure, sometimes we can be enslaved to getting people’s opinions. Derek Kidner gives his own wisdom by saying that at times we “can take too many opinions”.3 Nevertheless, the proverb still stands. We need guidance from a group of wise men and women.
Tremper Longman points out a possible connection to Ecclesiastes 9:13-15. “I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city.” See how wisdom always trumps power.
What Are Some Practical Applications?
You can’t expect to make wise decisions by yourself.
You can’t expect to make wise decisions just by talking with a bunch of people. You have to choose the right people.
Determined individualism doesn’t stand a chance to attain wisdom.
You can’t expect to make wise decisions for your family, business, church, neighborhood, or political realm without consulting several wise counselors.
Why Are We Presbyterian?
Our strength is in numbers—numbers of wise men who have been elected to the office of Elder or Deacon. Our churches cannot expect to make good decisions when we prioritize individualism. A church can’t expect to be fruitful as a bunch of people are making their own individual decisions without consulting others. There needs to be a unified vision. This is one of the main purposes of having Elders and Deacons.
The men who are elected to these offices are men who represent the people. They are not making their own decisions. Rather, they are making decisions for the people. That means they can’t live in their ivory tower and fail to be among the people. Yes, they are to guide the people into what they need rather than what they want but that doesn’t take away the need to interact with their people.
Another important part to this is that the people need to see that Elders and Deacons are their representatives. They have elected them. No, they are not perfect men but they are men who have been nominated by the people to lead that particular church. This is why the qualifications for office (1 Timothy 3) is absolutely crucial. We cannot elect our favorites. We must elect the men who fit these characteristics. This is why officer training is vital to a healthy church. But, when they are elected, the people need to respect that decision.
Even our denomination is structured in such a way where we can seek guidance. Each church has a Diaconate and a Session. The Session reports to the local Presbytery and the Presbyteries meet together for a General Assembly. A Session cannot expect to make wise decisions when it never seeks the advice and guidance from others in the Presbytery or General Assembly.
Why Are We Historical?
Here is one major application we can forget. Since there is nothing new under the Sun (Eccl. 1:9) then it means we must be a historical people. It is the epitome of foolishness to think that “modern” is “better”. We need history. We absolutely need a biblical understanding of history but we need history.
Christians throughout the ages across different lands offer us much wisdom. We would be foolish not to see their guidance. Dead, yet they still speak! This is why we will become much wiser men and women when we read old books. C.S. Lewis once said, “It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between.”
We are not the only ones to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Our brothers and sisters across the ages also were filled with the Spirit and sought His means of grace.
Why Wisdom Is Found Extra Nos
What does extra nos mean? It means “outside of ourselves”. It was a phrase that Martin Luther used much. This proverb is ultimately showing us that we are not enough. Looking within is contrary to the Christian life. The Christian life is literally an extra nos life. We were made to look without more than within.
The ultimate guidance is God Himself. Jesus, who is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:30) is the one we are to seek. We will be foolish forever if we neglect Him.
But, there is another way we can be foolish. We can be foolish if we don’t strive to know Him best of all! It is one thing for me to know how to fish but it’s another thing when I say that my dad knows how to fish. He is intimately acquainted with it. He’s had experience for 50 years fishing. It is one thing for a church to say it knows Christ but another thing to say that they truly know Christ above all other knowledge.
Wisdom and guidance is attained when Christ is attained. When Christ is attained, admired, and adored then His people will become more wise. That is why every church member, officer, and denomination will only be as wise as their “fixed determination” to prioritize Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:1-4).
M. Littleton in Moody Monthly, June, 1989, p. 29
Charles Bridges, The Book of Proverbs (Mott Media: Milford, MI 1978), p. 143.
Derek Kidner, Proverbs: An Introduction & Commentary (InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL 1964), p. 92.