The Opposite Of Stupid

Lessons from almost 28 plus years of being a pastor: part 2. Another thing that I have learned over these many years is that is important to seek wise counsel. A couple of verses from Proverbs and I can't remember the version but I like both of them. Prov.11:14 says "Where no counsel is, people fail and fall, but there is safety in multitude of good counsel."

That is good but let me read another from Prov. 15:21-22. "Stupid people are happy with their foolishness, but the wise do what is right and get all the counsel they can." Wow! I'm glad that I didn't say that.

We know, don't we, that it's easier to give advice than it is to take it. We love to be in those "advisory" roles. Do you know why so many people don't seek good counsel? I believe it's because they already know the answer many times to the situations they find themselves in. I used to tell Pastor Jim Erickson that I hated asking him advice about money matters because he always gave me the advice that I knew he would. And of course, it was the right advice.

Sometimes it is as simple as asking what you would advise someone else in the same circumstances as you are in. I think you could give some really good advice when you think about it. And often good advice is simply a matter of common sense. Knowledge without common sense can be troubling, if you know what I mean.

Who are the people that you know love and care about you? Make a practice of asking them for counsel and good advice. God will always speak wisdom to us but the problem is that we aren't always wanting to hear the voices that He chooses. How about you? You know what? I ask for more counsel now than when I was much younger and thought I really knew a lot. I have found out that I didn't know as much as I thought I did. Up North Wisdom says that I should seek out wise counsel more often than I want to or really do. I don't want to be stupid and God doesn't want me to be that either. So He provides if I choose to receive. "Lord, help me to be wise and seek good counsel." Are you with me, friend? Blessings.