Proverbs 27:12 “A prudent man sees evil and hides himself.  The naïve proceed and suffer for it.”  What does it mean to be a prudent man who sees ahead and takes action to turn away from evil and not proceed to the dangers ahead?  A prudent man is a wise man and one who avoids error and danger.  This is what a prudent leader does in his own life and for those whom he leads in his family, his work, his church and his community.  If not, he and those whom he leads will suffer from it.  He must recognize that his leadership to see the dangers below the surface of icebergs is imperative for safety and life.  Most of the time, we can only see the tip of the iceberg and we do not know what lies underneath.  The tip is only a small part of the larger danger lurking below.  It is much easier to turn aside than to get out once you get into the troubled waters and what is waiting below. 

One of the best illustrations of this leadership principle is what happened on April 15, 1912, when the Titanic sank taking more than 1,500 people to their deaths in the freezing North Atlantic waters.  The passengers were on the cruise of a lifetime and traveling in the greatest luxury of the day.  The Titanic had been called “the ship that even God could not sink.”  Why did it sink?  It sank because the leader (the captain) was not prudent and did not heed warning reports that their route was taking them into frozen waters and icebergs.  This tragic event in history could have been avoided if the leader had taken corrective action earlier and turned away in another direction.  Once the captain realized the dangers ahead, there was not enough time for corrective actions to be taken and the response to an SOS was too late.  This kind of suffering and loss can happen to a man who lacks the prudent (wise) leadership to see the icebergs in life and does not take corrective action.  You do not want a devastating tragedy like the Titanic to sink your life and your family.  You are the captain, so be prudent, wise and act as every day you see and avoid icebergs that could sink the ship you command.