Advice to a Servant

by Sumner Wemp
Proverbs 16:12-21

Each of us have different authority figures in our lives. There is parental authority, civil authority, authority at work, and spiritual authority. How we respond to our authority will either feed success in our life or cause us to fail. Much can be learned about our response to our authority in this passage.
1. Don’t think a leader approves of wickedness.
When a person is in leadership, they understand that those that do right, will do right by them.
2. Speak right things.
Don’t be deceptive or demeaning. A leader understands, what you say about others, you will say about him.
3. Pacify the king’s anger.
Proverbs 16:14
A servant needs to try to please the king.
4. If the leader is angry, stay away from him.
5. Pray for your authority daily.
He or she is a person just like you. They face trials and temptations every day. Pray that God will give you grace not just to be able to endure them, but to help them. You might even have the opportunity to lead them to Christ.
6. Don’t approach your leader or king when he is not in a favorable mood.
If you are under the authority of a leader who is continually angry:
1. Get wisdom.
Proverbs 16:16 says that we should get wisdom rather than gold.
2. Depart from evil.
Don’t be so proud that you can approach him when nobody else can. Understand there is a time to approach the king and a time not to approach him. If he is acting like a fool, that is, his anger is controlling him, now is not the time to approach him.
Success as a servant comes from understanding your authority, and having the wisdom when to speak.