GALATIANS: CHOOSE FREEDOM - WEEK 3
“FROM CHAINS TO CROWNS”
Deep Dive 8/17/2025
LISTEN TO WISDOM
Proverbs 19:20
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”
God has had a plan for His people from the beginning. He calls each of us to serve in different ways and uses our experiences for the good of others, not just for our own growth. There is a focus on the benefit found in wisdom in Scripture because we cannot gain wisdom without experience, unless it is imparted to us by those who have gone ahead of us, or gifted by God.
Deuteronomy 1:9-18
9 Moses continued, “At that time I told you, ‘You are too great a burden for me to carry all by myself. 10 The Lord your God has increased your population, making you as numerous as the stars! 11 And may the Lord, the God of your ancestors, multiply you a thousand times more and bless you as he promised! 12 But you are such a heavy load to carry! How can I deal with all your problems and bickering? 13 Choose some well-respected men from each tribe who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.’ 14 “Then you responded, ‘Your plan is a good one.’ 15 So I took the wise and respected men you had selected from your tribes and appointed them to serve as judges and officials over you. Some were responsible for a thousand people, some for a hundred, some for fifty, and some for ten. 16 “At that time I instructed the judges, ‘You must hear the cases of your fellow Israelites and the foreigners living among you. Be perfectly fair in your decisions 17 and impartial in your judgments. Hear the cases of those who are poor as well as those who are rich. Don’t be afraid of anyone’s anger, for the decision you make is God’s decision. Bring me any cases that are too difficult for you, and I will handle them.’ 18 “At that time I gave you instructions about everything you were to do.
In Deuteronomy 1, God uses Moses’ father-in-law to speak wisdom to Moses about sharing the burden of leadership. The church of today is no different. We have pastors who lead us, but God also sends men and women that He has equipped, to help carry the load of leadership. It is up to us to listen to those that God places in our path, to heed what they teach us so that we in return, can share that wisdom with those who will come behind us.
1 Peter 5:3-7
3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. 5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Peter shares great advice in this passage. Those who are called to lead are to do so in humility, to be servant leaders. Servant leaders lead by example. All instruction needs to be subject to the truth of Scripture, but when it meets that criterion, we need to humbly accept the instruction provided, trusting that God has placed leaders and trusted friends in our path for His plan and purpose.
HOW EASY IS IT FOR YOU TO ACCEPT INSTRUCTION? ARE YOU PLAGUED BY THE SPIRIT OF OFFENSE, OR CAN YOU READILY ACCEPT GUIDANCE FROM TRUSTED LEADERS AND FRIENDS?
Philippians 2:1-4
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Paul exhorts believers everywhere through his letter to the church at Philippi to be tender and compassionate to one another, to agree with each other and work together with one mind and purpose. We will grow in wisdom as we come together in community, to humbly encourage one another and spur each other toward the righteousness that Jesus died to give us.
PUTTING THIS INTO PRACTICE
Do you readily accept wisdom, Scriptural wisdom, from spiritual leaders and friends?
Read Ephesians 4:1-16. Pay special attention to the specific instructions Paul gives us.
Do you see how Paul tells us to “make allowance for each other’s faults?” What do you think this looks like in a mentoring relationship?
Read Ephesians 4:14-16 again in a different translation and Hebrews 13:7. What is the impact on our lives when we readily accept the wisdom given by trusted spiritual leaders and friends? Can you think of a time that your life and faith was positively influenced by wisdom offered from one of these leaders?
What do you think of when you hear the word wisdom?
Read Proverbs 4. Which verse resonated with you today? Write it down and think on it through the week.
Have you considered wisdom as it is described in this passage, as a person? Why do you think that wisdom is portrayed in this way?
Find another passage in Scripture that speaks about wisdom and write it out as a reminder of the importance of seeking wisdom.
In order to accept wisdom from spiritual leaders and friends, we must surround ourselves with the right kind of community.
What does your community today look like? Is it a life-giving community of believers, or is it life-stealing?
Think of the community that Jesus kept, and then the community of the early church. Read Acts 2:42-47 What is one thing you can do today to move toward living in community as we see in Acts?
Take time today to journal a prayer to God thanking Him for any godly community that He has placed around you and ask Him to bring believers around you who will help to refine your faith and give you wisdom.
