Wisdom: Knowing Your Calling & Knowing When to Act on It

I have a current coaching client that was, in her words, facing the most daunting challenge of her career. She felt like the course of action that had been assigned to her by her CEO would create hardship for the current customers and team members of the business. On the one hand, if she is successful with this plan, she moves up to be President of one of the subsidiary companies. On the other hand, being honest and trustworthy to team members and customers puts her in a position to help more people than just herself. Unfortunately, this is a dilemma that many executives face on their way up the corporate ladder. And the world we live in is in a constant state of change. It seems at times that a situation, difficulty, or hardship in a way of life, career or course of action is beyond our control.

 Imagine that you are facing the most daunting challenge of your life and you feel totally unprepared to handle it. Then imagine that God has invited you to ask him for anything that you need. What would you ask him for?

Scripture talks about a man named Solomon. He was the son of King David and was about 20 years old when he became king. How would you have felt as a 20 year-old becoming king? According to Scripture, God came to Solomon in a dream and told him to ask for whatever he needed. Solomon’s response was way beyond his years—he asked God for an understanding heart to be able to judge the people as king. The request was both humble and wise. He didn’t ask for long life, money and riches or victories of war. God granted him his request and gave him a wise and understanding heart. Solomon became known for his wisdom. Thomas Aquinas once wrote, "Of all the pursuits open to men, the search for wisdom is most perfect, more sublime, more profitable, and more joyful."

Scripture tells us to ask God for wisdom whenever we need it. So my question is, when we are facing challenges in our lives, why don’t we ask God for wisdom and expect to receive it?

Through discussion, I discovered that my client was a movie buff like a friend of mine. So, I asked her, “What is your favorite movie of all time.” Her response was “Schindler’s List.” When I find a movie buff, this is a question that I often ask because it gives me an insight into the client’s state of mind. This movie told a story of 1,100 Jewish people who were facing certain death. But in the midst of one of the darkest times in human history these people were helped by the most unlikely of characters, Oskar Schindler. It is interesting to me that this story was also recently retold by my friend. I don’t believe that is an accident—God often departs wisdom multiple ways so that He is certain we get the message.

During World War II the Nazis forced local polish Jews into an overcrowded Ghetto. Oskar Scindler a German Nazi party member from Czechoslovakia arrived in that city hoping to make a fortune. He bribed a German armed forces and SS officials and acquired a factory to produce enamelware. He hired Itzhak Stern; a Jewish official with contacts among black marketers and the Jewish business community. Stern helped him with financing as well as administration. Stern also ensured that as many Jewish workers as possible were deemed essential to the German war effort to prevent the workers from being taken into the concentration camps. Schindler maintained friendly relations with the Nazis and enjoyed his status as an industrialist. However, after witnessing the massacre of many Jews in the Ghetto, Schindler’s focus shifted from making money to saving lives. I find it interesting that even when our minds are not asking God for wisdom—he provides it by reaching into our hearts.

To better protect his workers, Schindler bribed the SS commander into allowing him to build a sub-camp at his factory. Because of his efforts 1,100 lives were saved.

This told me a lot about my client. It told me that she was not comfortable taking advantage of others to secure more success, more money or more prestige. It told me that caring for others is her true calling. It told me that she believes in being honest and helping more people more often . And it told me that she was so passionate about it that she could plead her case to her CEO. So together, we devised a business plan to grow the business without taking advantage of the workers or the customers. The plan took slightly more time to implement but she said, “I felt freedom in knowing that I did the right thing and that I was still secure in my position.”

Thomas Aquinas was right—of all the pursuits of man, wisdom is most joyful. And we know the source of all wisdom. If you have a challenge in your life—just ask Him.