What role does wisdom play in leadership, according to Job 32:6? Setting the Scene Job 32 opens with a younger bystander, Elihu, finally speaking after the older men have exhausted their words. Verse 6 records his respectful hesitation: “So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared: ‘I am young in years, and you are old; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare to you my own knowledge.’” (Job 32:6) Key Observations from Job 32:6 • Respect for age and experience is good and proper. • Elihu links leadership with the expectation of wisdom; he waited because older men are presumed to possess it. • Yet his very entrance shows that wisdom is ultimately measured by content, not chronology. What This Reveals about Wisdom in Leadership • Wisdom should precede speech. Leaders earn the right to speak by first listening, weighing, and discerning (cf. James 1:19). • Humility is foundational. Elihu’s initial reluctance models a leader’s readiness to submit to others before assuming the floor (cf. 1 Peter 5:5). • Age is honored but not idolized. Verse 6 sets up verses 7–9, which clarify that “it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding” (Job 32:8). God, not seniority, is the true source of wisdom. Supporting Scriptures • Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”—leadership rooted here gains God-given insight. • Ecclesiastes 4:13: “Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king…”—age alone cannot secure wise rule. • 1 Timothy 4:12: “Let no one despise your youth, but set an example…”—wisdom qualifies a younger leader when life and doctrine align. Practical Takeaways for Today’s Leaders • Cultivate reverence for God; it is the wellspring of wisdom. • Listen first, speak later—especially in settings where others hold seniority. • Reject false confidence that comes merely from years served; pursue daily dependence on the Spirit for insight. • Encourage emerging voices who demonstrate godly understanding; leadership is enriched when wisdom, not age alone, guides participation. Summary Job 32:6 portrays wisdom as the moral and spiritual currency that legitimizes leadership. Respecting elders remains right, yet true authority to guide others flows from a humble, God-given understanding that any leader—young or old—must continually seek. |
    |