Live collaboratively! That is the message of Proverbs.
- Proverbs 11:14 “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
- Proverbs 15:22 “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”
- Proverbs 20:18 “Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.”
- Proverbs 24:5–6 “A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.”
We improve our judgment, make better decisions, and are more effective when we take counsel with others. This willingness to collaborate starts with humility. We refuse to settle for “self-counsel.” We do not assume that our philosophy or approach is the only solution to the problems or issues we face. We own our need to depend on God and others. We choose to seek help.
Humility frees us from our need to be right and releases us to seek new and better ways to move forward in our lives and ministries. We seek other voices and learn from one another. That is the foundation of healthy collaboration.
- You have reached the end of this article preview. This article was published in the Winter 2025 Baptist Bulletin. Subscribe to the Baptist Bulletin or purchase a gift subscription. If you already subscribe to the print edition, sign up for free digital access.
Clare Jewell is national representative of the GARBC.
