Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10)
Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe so that they might gain insight into the words of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:13 NASB)
The word insight is translated from a Hebrew verb that means “to be prudent,” that is, to be wise, to have foresight, to be shrewd in the practical management of one’s daily affairs. It includes the qualities of discernment and keen awareness.
Insight is an essential trait for leaders. A leader must be able to see the big picture, to envision the tomorrows of any undertaking, to visualise the future consequences of today’s decisions, to calculate risk and develop contingencies. He or she must look further down the road than those who follow. No leader can afford to remain entangled in only the tedious details of today.
Knowledge does not automatically create insight. Vast knowledge of Bible facts won’t make anyone more insightful. I have seen spiritual leaders with advanced academic degrees, having been taught the contents of the Bible systematically for years, still lacking insight. The corporate, military, and political worlds are also rife with leaders who, for all their education, cannot see past the edge of their desks. Tragic, but true.
Nehemiah 8:13–15 reveals three specific factors that help a leader develop the essential quality of insight. First, it takes time. No one suddenly becomes wise. A novice cannot expect insight to come quickly. But note that the people of Jerusalem came back to Ezra on the second day. They had processed what they learned and then returned for more.
Second, it takes the right people. Note that the men sought out a specific individual, Ezra, that they might gain insight from him.
A third factor necessary in the pursuit of insight: the right attitude. “The heads of fathers’ households . . . [and] the priests and the Levites” (8:13 NASB) were gathered to learn from Ezra. Some of them were older than the scribe; some were grandfathers, others were priests. These were members of Ezra’s peer group; yet they said, “Teach us.” They demonstrated a genuine desire to learn.
A teachable, receptive, humble spirit remains open to learning from anyone at any time.
