“Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.” (KJV)
“Plans are established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war.” (NKJV)
“Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.” (NIV)
The Hebrew word translated “purpose” or “plan” in the above verse (Proverbs 20:18) means to “devise, plan, purpose” something, and is connected with the “thought/thoughts” of which those plans and purposes are made [cf. Brown, Driver, Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. (Hendrickson Publishers, 1979) pg. 364].
Jesus elaborated on the principle of Proverbs 20:18 when He stated “which of you, intending to
build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest,
after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war
against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to
meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great
way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.” (Luke 14:28-32)
Among those who exist without any real purpose in life uncertainty seems to rule the day,
opportunity seems thwarted at every turn, and complacency has provided a comfortable (or not
so comfortable) state of existence where no thought is really given to the future. Will Rogers
once said, “Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed
through life trying to save.” Such is the case of those who exist without any real purpose to
guide their path through life.
Often, the special purposes of life may not only be unspoken and unwritten, but generic
rather than specific in nature. Careers can be more fluid than solid, shifting about because of the
economy or culture or technological advancements. Even retirement can be less certain than in
decades past. However, no matter what ones vocation or retirement may include, for the
Christian, “purpose” contains elements far greater than life itself. In his book, Even Eagles Need
a Push – Learning to Soar in a Changing World, author David McNally wrote, “There is a
purpose for our lives far grander and more significant than perhaps we might ever have
considered.” For the Christian, “purpose” cannot be separated from either eternity or from
sharing the greatest message anyone will ever hear and obey, for that message will be the basis
for life itself.
Concerning the idea of purpose, Paul wrote – “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but
mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience
of Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5). The word Paul uses for “thought” (found several times in the
New Testament) suggests more than just what we think, but can also extend to the idea of
“purpose” and “design.” For example, the plural form of the same word used in 2 Corinthians
10:5 is translated “schemes” in the NIV translation of 2 Corinthians 2:11 – “we are not unaware
of his (i.e. Satan’s) schemes.” Living a life filled with Godly purpose provides a foundation for
positive attitudes which can be contagious. Others, seeing that focus and observing such a
purpose, will desire what you have come to possess which may often open the door for
discussions with non-Christians about God’s Word. With a mind focused on spiritual things
(Isaiah 26:3; Romans 8:6; 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:5) may our thoughts, our
schemes, our purpose, and our design always be to follow the will of God and may our plans
always include sharing the Gospel of Christ with everyone we can as well as growing
individually “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).