“Wisdom is with aged men, and with length of days, understanding.” (Job 12:12)
When I was in the hospital in 2008, I had some unfinished business to conduct from my bedside and asked my secretary to request a visit from several of the county commissioners for whom I worked. One of the commissioners who came to see me is a pastor and one of the wisest public officials with whom I have worked over the last 38 years.
When he entered my room and took a seat, he simply said to me, “Mike, I know what you’re doing here. The question is what am I doing here?”
I went on to finish my business with him, but I thought about what he said long and hard. He has given me some great advice: What I needed to concentrate on was getting better. County business could wait.
Besides Jesus, the wisest individual in all of Scripture is Solomon. In fact, reports of Solomon’s wisdom were so widespread that a distant queen, the Queen of Sheba, traveled some 1,000 to 1,500 miles just to seek his counsel. Frankly, she didn’t believe the reports that she had heard, but after spending some time with Solomon, she proclaimed, “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard.” (1 Kings 10:6-7)
The Queen of Sheba could not believe a man could be so wise, and then concluded what she had heard about his wisdom was not half of the story. It raises a question for all of us: Just what should we look for when we seek the advice of others?
Here are five qualities I believe every Christian should make sure he or she sees in the life of a brother or sister from whom he is seeking advice.
1. Obviously, based on the verse I selected to kick off this devotion, I believe the biblical advice is to search for someone who has some years on them. Aging doesn’t necessarily ensure wisdom, but wisdom comes from living life, enjoying its successes, and learning from its mistakes. You rarely will find this kind of wisdom in a young person.
2. This one ties right in to my first point. Make sure the wisdom you see in someone is a godly gift and not an earthly skill. Many of us pay therapists, for example, to help us sort out the problems of life that we are experiencing. However, we often walk away only more confused than when we first arrived. Godly wisdom – the kind I received in my hospital room – hits you right between the eyes. It doesn’t confuse.
3. When you finally decide on someone, make sure they are genuinely concerned about you and your problem. “How are you doing,” is often not a question, but a salutation. Make sure the person you select is a good listener, allows you to tell your story, and illustrates through his or her body language that nothing could be more important than what you have to say.
4. While clarity is important, simple advice will not work. A wrench is an excellent tool. But it won’t work if we need a screwdriver. A simple answer to a complex problem is a sign that you need to move on and find someone else.
5. Finally, make sure your advisor is thoroughly grounded in the Scripture. I believe today more than ever that much of the advice to life’s problems can be found in the Word of God. It’s the reason I write devotions about everyday living.
I once had a pastor who pointed out that the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters – one for each day of the month. That was great advice then and is still great advice today. “If you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding” (Proverbs 2:1-2)
Share on Facebook