Wise Leadership: Power That Leads Toward Life

A bad leader takes you closer to danger. A good leader takes you closer to life.

It’s a simple distinction, but a vital one. Proverbs never treats leadership lightly, and neither does the New Testament. Both 1 Timothy 3:1 and James 3:1 remind us that leadership carries a particular gravity — not because leaders matter more, but because their influence reaches further.

At the heart of wise leadership in Proverbs is not technique, charisma, or control, but the heart. God’s desire is for a kingdom shaped by righteousness, and leadership is one of the means through which that righteousness is either embodied or distorted. Power, in God’s economy, is given not to elevate the self, but to serve — to love our neighbour as ourselves.

One of the more nuanced observations today was that leadership doesn’t mean radical transparency at all times. There are moments when holding back information is not about manipulation, but about care — about timing, wisdom, and the good of those entrusted to us. That alone requires discernment.

A question surfaced that felt confronting:
Does my leadership bring God’s blessing to those under my care?

Power is never exercised in a vacuum. It’s shaped by the complexities of life and by sin — both personal and systemic. Proverbs 25 assumes this complexity. The king, we’re told, cannot rule well alone. Wise leadership requires others — people who help refine decisions, expose blind spots, and speak truth.

Proverbs 25:2-5 help us reflect on how power and authority are meant to be used. They suggest that wisdom involves restraint, discernment, and an awareness of what should be searched out — and what should be left alone. When human power is used well, it can lead to remarkable good. Wilberforce and the abolition of the slave trade were offered as an example of authority exercised for justice rather than self-preservation.

Power, we were reminded, is pervasive. Wherever there are people, there are power systems. That’s not accidental — God is everywhere, and leadership structures are part of how life is ordered. But because power is everywhere, wisdom is needed everywhere. Without it, leadership easily becomes destructive.

There was a helpful distinction made:
Power used well blesses and becomes a joy to submit to. Power misused wounds and erodes trust.

Another searching question followed:
If people could speak freely, what would they say about how I use the power entrusted to me?

Proverbs cautions us not to invest ultimate hope in human leaders. Even the best leaders are limited and fragile. That’s why leaders need prayer, support, and accountability — not pedestal-building. Leadership divorced from dependence on God becomes dangerous quickly.

Proverbs 25:6–7 calls leaders to humility — to see themselves rightly. Wise leaders resist the urge to assert their own importance. They don’t need to be seen at the centre of everything. Instead, they work to create foundations where others can flourish and grow.

This theme continued through Proverbs 25:11–13, where fitting words, faithful messengers, and trustworthy presence are held up as gifts. Leadership isn’t just about decisions; it’s about tone, timing, and trustworthiness.

There was an invitation to pause and reflect personally:
Where has God placed me within a power structure — and how am I using that position for the sake of others?

Leadership often requires holding together competing perspectives, incomplete information, and necessary tensions. Proverbs 25:15 suggests that patience, gentleness, and persuasion are not signs of weakness, but of wisdom. The session also touched on Proverbs 18:22–25, using wordplay to show the relational cost of undisciplined leadership — especially when power goes unchecked in relationships. A lack of self-discipline doesn’t remain private; it ripples outward.

And finally, wisdom brings us back to neighbour-love in its most concrete form. If your enemy is hungry, feed them. What a challenge. Leadership shaped by Proverbs meets people at their point of need, even — perhaps especially — when it is inconvenient or costly.

As I sat with these notes, what stayed with me was this:
Wise leadership isn’t about control or visibility.
It’s about using power in ways that move others closer to life — and closer to God.

And that kind of leadership always begins with humility, dependence, and prayer.