"Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him."
~ Proverbs 26:12
I've done it before. I've thought I knew more than the next person. I've thought myself wiser than my elders. I've endured times of hardship as a result of worse than foolish attitudes.
See, a fool has a better chance than a person who thinks they know better than counsel, because a fool isn't aware of his foolishness. His eyes are blind to it. He's clueless.
Until someone opens his eyes to his foolishness.
The person who is wise in her own eyes, however, is hard of heart. She refuses to listen to counsel. Sure, she hears what they have to say, but it bounces off her deaf ears. It never sinks in. She's too thick-skinned to take the advice of her advisers. And it's she who finds herself in dark places, wondering how she got there.
I've been on both sides of this condition. I've been foolish, but I've turned around. And I've been hard of heart, and it's taken horrible things to get me to see my error.
I've also been on the other end of the verse. I've been the counsel, knowing I'm leading someone by the Word of God. Some have been foolish and taken a while to heed my advice. Others have been hard of heart, thinking they know better than I for their situation. And still others have taken my counsel to heart. As the counsel, I only have the ability to lead them. It's up to the recipient to follow my lead or walk away.
I admit I feel a loss when someone doesn't listen, but I brush myself off and continue on. Maybe the next person will take it to heart!
Are you a counselor who feels the concern for those who are wise in their own eyes? Have you ever refused the counsel of someone who turned out to be wiser than you? Have you ever heeded counsel and have a testimony to share? Feel free to leave a comment! I love to hear from you!
Photo Courtesy of Steven Bulhoes
I try to seek counsel when I'm making a hard decision. We have sought and heeded counsel before.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I have realized is that you must condition your heart before counsel, to take heed. It really doesn't do you any good to go for counsel and not take heed. So you, after a time of prayer and seeking, ask God to speak through your counselor and then when He does, you accept it as His direction and heed. Otherwise, you're just looking for someone to confirm what you want to hear...and if they don't, they really didn't hear in the first place...or at least that is what you think in your heart. There's great error in that type of thinking.
"Otherwise, you're just looking for someone to confirm what you want to hear...and if they don't, they really didn't hear in the first place...or at least that is what you think in your heart."
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing up this point, Anita! So many times people go for counsel, desiring for the counselor to side with them, when what they ultimately need is correction. And when correction comes, they decide the counselor must not be hearing from God or else they're out to get them.
I thank you for your advice to pray before you go for counsel. So wise!